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PRINCETON,    N.    J. 


O  PRINCETON.     N.     J.  <v7> 


Presented  by  Mr   Samuel  Agnew  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Agnew  Coll.  on  Baptism,  No. 


/or<n 


COMPANION 


THE  FONT  AND  THE  PULPIT, 


THE  RIGHT  REV.  WILLIAM  MEADE,  D.  D, 

BISHOP  OP  THE  P.E.  CHURCH  OF  VIRGINIA. 


WASHINGTON: 

J.  AND  G.  S.  GIDEON,  PRINTERS. 

1846. 


Entered  according  to  the  act  of  Congress  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the 
District  Court  for  the  District  of  Columbia,  April  21,  1846. 


The  proceeds  of  this  work  are  for  the  use  of  the  Society 
for  the  education  of  pious  young  men  for  the  ministry  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

— - ^s*4. 

CHAP.  PAGE* 

I.  Reasons  for  putting  forth  the  treatise.  False  views  of  the 
subject  imputed  to  the  Church.  True  method  of  ascer- 
taining the  doctrine  of  Scripture  and  the  Church  -        5 

II.  Scriptural  view  of  circumcision  and  baptism.  Both  of  them 
seals  of  the  same  covenant.  God's  promise  and  good  will 
is  to  children  and  believers,  previous  to  the  application  of 
the  seal.  The  term  regenerate,  applied  by  the  Jews  to 
converts  from  heathenism  and  their  children.  The  same 
applied  either  to  Jewish  or  Pagan  converts  to  Christianity 
by  the  early  Christians    -  -  -  -  20 

III.  The  view  taken  of  this  substantiated  by  high  authorities — 

Dean  NoelPs  catechism,  Calvin's,  Hooker,  Philpot,  Hoo- 
per, Thomas  Becon  -  -  -  -  -      32 

IV.  Views  of  the  Church  as  set  forth  in  her  baptismal  offices, 

catechism,  articles,  and  homilies  -  -  -  40 

V.  Errors  and  extravagances  into  which  some  have  fallen  on 
the  subject.  Comparative  view  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
Church,  as  understood  by  the  author,  and  of  that  imput- 
ed to  it  by  some   -  -  -  -  -  -54 

VI.  The  view  advocated  in  this  treatise  agreeable  to  the  senti- 
ments of  the  early  Church  generally,  and  of  the  Episco- 
pal Church  in  America     -  -  -  -  75 

VII.  On  sponsors  and  the  interrogatories  in  baptism       -  -      85 

VIII.  Practical  improvement  of  the  foregoing,  with  prayers  and 

meditation  before  and  after  the  baptism  of  children  -       96 

Appendix.  On  the  kind  of  sermons  which  the  Church  contem- 
plates when  she  directs  the  sponsors  to  "call  upon  their 
children  to  hear  sermons."  How  baptized  children  as 
they  grow  up  are  to  be  regarded  and  addressed  by  minis- 
ters, according  to  some  modern  writers — Gresley,  Paget, 
Faber,  Newman,  &c;  how,  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
the  Homilies,  and  writings  of  the  Reformers.  Extracts 
from  the  Homilies ;  from  the  Articles ;  from  King  Ed- 
ward's Primer;  from  Latimer,  Coverdale,  Reynolds,  Wil- 
kins,  Barrow.     Sentiments  of  Bishop  Moore,  of  Virginia    107 


PREFACE. 


Some  apology  is  due  for  the  great  imperfections  of 
style,  and  the  needless  repetitions  sometimes  occurring 
in  the  following  treatise.  That  apology  is  to  be  found  in 
the  feeble  health  of  the  writer  and  the  brief  time  allow- 
ed for  the  execution  of  the  task.  He  was  unable  even 
to  copy  his  first  draught  of  it  with  a  view  to  improvement 
and  condensation .  For  the  correctness  of  the  views  pre- 
sented, and  the  documents  adduced,  he  does  not  plead 
any  apology ,  as  they  have  been  well  considered  and  ex- 
amined. The  tract  has  assumed  far  more  of  the  argu- 
mentative, and  even  controversial  form,  than  the  author 
desired,  and  has  been  extended  much  beyond  his  origi- 
nal design.  The  circumstances  of  the  times  seemed  to 
render  this  necessary.  Should  life  be  spared,  and  ability 
granted,  the  author  may  see  fit,  at  some  future  period,  to 
reduce  the  treatise  on  baptism  to  a  much  smaller  form, 
giving  it  a  more  practical  and  devotional  character,  for 
the  use  of  parents  and  sponsors. 


V8 


THE    FONT    AND    THE 


CHAPTER  I. 


The  following  treatise  has  been  designed,  and  even  prom- 
ised by  its  author,  for  some  years,  and  its  execution  only 
prevented  by  duties  which  left  no  leisure  for  it.  Amongst  the 
departments  of  the  pastoral  office,  none  have  been  more  deep- 
ly interesting  to  him,  during  a  ministry  of  no  short  duration, 
than  the  performance  of  baptism,  especially  where  children, 
were  the  subjects.  Never  has  he  felt  himself  to  be  more 
the  minister  of  Christ,  than  when  taking  little  children  in 
his  arms,  and  in  compliance,  as  he  verily  believes,  with  the 
will  of  God,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  has  felt  himself 
called  upon,  oftentimes,  both  in  private  and  public,  to  take 
•great  pains,  and  use  many  words,  in  endeavoring  to  present 
what  he  deemed  correct  views  of  the  ordinance,  and  to  im- 
press the  minds  of  all  present  at  its  performance,  with  a  deep 
conviction  of  its  important  bearing  on  the  interests  of  true 
religion.  This  was  especially  called  for  at  the  time  of  the 
nrst  efforts  to  resuscitate  the  church  of  Virginia,  by  reason 
of  the  contempt  and  neglect  into  which  the  ordinance  had 
fallen,  through  its  lamentable  profanation.  With  many  it 
was  the  mere  giving  of  a  name  to  the  child  by  an  authorized 
minister,  just  as  persons  were  given  in  marriage  by  the 
same.  Both  of  these  ceremonies  were  often  performed  at 
the  same  time  and  place,  not,  however,  the  time  and  place  of 
prayer,  but  amidst  scenes  of  levity  and  dissipation,  illy  ac- 
cording with  an  ordinance  of  Heaven  for  the  religious  benefit 
of  a  poor  child  of  sin  and  death.  The  sponsors,  also,  who 
were  called  in  to  the  aid  of  parents  in  the  performance  of 
their  most  solemn  trust,  were  frequently  the  most  light- 
minded  of  the  company,  who  had,  perhaps,  never  spent  a 
serious  thought  on  their  own  baptismal  vows,  or  been  even 
1* 


reminded  of  the  same.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  an 
institution,  so  abused  as  this  was,  should  not  only  sink  into 
contempt  with  some,  but  even  cease  to  be  observed  by  many, 
unto  whom  plausible  arguments  against  its  very  use  were 
earnestly  addressed.  To  the  later  ministers  of  the  Episco- 
pal church  in  Virginia,  there  has,  in  this  respect,  been  left  a 
sad  inheritance  by  their  predecessors  in  office.  Through 
the  blessing  of  God,  however,  they  have  succeeded  in  effect- 
ing a  great  change  in  the  sentiments  and  conduct  of  the 
members  of  the  church.  But  few  of  the  children  now  born 
within  the  pale  of  our  communion  are  ever  withheld  from  this 
gracious  privilege ;  though  it  is  to  be  feared  that  here,  as  else- 
where, many  are  brought  to  it  without  those  earnest  desires, 
those  just  views,  and  that  assured  confidence  of  God's  bless- 
ing, which  ought  to  be  in  the  hearts  of  all  who  present  them. 
The  author  has  long  thought  that  a  simple  treatise,  having 
for  its  title  that  placed  at  the  head  of  this,  and  for  its  object 
the  better  preparation  of  parents  and  sponsors  for  the  pious 
performance  of  their  part  in  the  solemn  transaction,  might  be 
prepared  somewhat  after  the  manner  of  treatises  for  the  com- 
munion, not  merely  setting  forth  right  views  of  the  ordi- 
nance, and  removing  prejudices,  but  containing  some  medi- 
tations, or  prayers,  to  be  used  before  and  after  the  solemn 
service.  If  a  man  should  always  examine  himself  before 
he  presume  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  lest  he  should 
do  it  unworthily;  if  he  should  prepare  himself  for  days  be- 
forehand, that  he  may  come  piously  and  joyously  to  that 
feast  which  is  so  often  spread  before  him ;  surely,  in  relation 
to  this  solemn  act,  to  be  performed  but  once,  there  ought  to 
be  some  especial  previous  consideration  on  the  part  of  those 
permitted  to  present  their  children  to  the  Lord  in  baptism.  It 
may  be,  that  a  want  of  due  preparation  and  proper  qualifications 
on  the  part  of  those  presenting,  may  not  a  little  hinder  the 
future  efficacy  of  this  sacrament.  On  the  part  of  adults  re- 
ceiving it,  previous  fasting  and  prayer  are  enjoined  by  the 
Church,  in  order  to  their  better  observance  of  it;  and  as  those 
who  bring  children  to  it  are  required  to  make  such  solemn 
promises  in  their  name,  and  at  the  close  of  the  service  are 
so  earnestly  enjoined  to  perform  a  faithful  part  in  training 
the  baptized  ones  for  Heaven,  it  is  plain  that  they  should 


not  only  be  sincerely  pious  themselves,  but  that  their  piety 
should  be  put  into  active  exercise  on  this  occasion,  seeing 
that  the  effectual  fervent  prayer  of  the  righteous  availeth  so 
much.  As  circumcision  may  become  uncircumcision,  so 
baptism  may  prove  a  mere  form,  unproductive  of  any  parti- 
cular benefit  to  the  recipient,  through  the  future  abuse  of  its 
privileges;  and  who  can  tell  how  much  the  neglect  of  those 
to  whom  the  children  are  entrusted  may  contribute  to  this, 
and  how  far  this  neglect  may  have  been  promoted  by  the 
want  of  right  views  and  feelings  at  the  time  of  the  present- 
ment. In  order  to  the  faithful  performance  of  our  part  in  this 
transaction,  it  is  important  that  we  come  to  it  in  no  doubtful 
state  of  mind,  but  verily  persuaded  that  God  favorably  allow- 
eth  this  charitable  work,  and  that  a  blessing  belongs  to  it  if 
done  according  to  his  will.  It  is  very  desirable  that  we  have 
a  just  view  of  those  scriptures  which  speak  of  it,  that  we 
may  know  what  is  promised,  and  ask  the  same  in  faith, 
nothing  wavering.  Nor  only  this,  but  we  should  also  duly 
understand  what  are  the  views  of  the  Church,  as  set  forth  in 
her  articles  and  services,  that  we  may  use  the  same  heartily  and 
approvingly.  It  is  very  certain  that  different  meanings  have 
been  and  are  ascribed  to  those  scriptures,  and  those  words 
of  the  Church,  which  bear  on  this  subject;  nor  is  it  to  be  ex- 
pected that  there  should  be  a  perfect  agreement  here,  seeing 
that,  in  all  ages,  there  has  been  such  diversity  of  sentiment 
on  other  parts  of  Divine  truth.  Nevertheless,  it  is  very  de- 
sirable to  arrive  at  the  highest  attainable  degree  of  unity,  and 
of  course  it  is  right  to  seek  after  the  same  by  all  proper 
means. 

Amongst  the  considerations  leading  to  the  present  effort, 
though  not  suggesting  it  in  the  first  instance,  there  may  be 
stated  the  fact,  that  the  design  and  efficacy  of  baptism,  espe- 
cially as  regards  children,  has,  within  the  last  few  years, 
been  the  subject  of  much  discussion,  during  which  the  lan- 
guage and  doctrine  of  the  Church  has  been  brought  under 
more  critical  examination.  In  consequence  of  this  some 
minds,  hitherto  not  very  attentive  to  the  subject,  have  been 
not  a  little  perplexed  by  the  variety  of  sentiment  existing 
even  amongst  those  who,  from  their  office  and  studies,  ought  to 
be  able  to  declare  the  true  meaning  of  the  Church.     The  old 


8 

charge  of  Romanism  has  also  been  revived,  on  the  ground 
of  some  strong  expressions  in  our  baptismal  services,  which 
seem  to  savor  of  the  doctrines  of  that  corrupt  church.  The 
effect  has  been  to  awaken,  in  some  minds,  an  apprehension 
that  there  was  still  something  of  the  old  leaven  of  falsehood 
permitted  to  remain  in  this  part  of  our  prayer-book.  It  ap- 
pears to  some  that  if  certain  expressions,  introduced  into  our 
baptismal  services,  are  to  be  understood  in  their  commonly- 
received  acceptation,  then  too  much  is  ascribed  to  this  one 
ordinance — that  God  is  made  to  concentre  almost  all  his 
spiritual  gifts  around  this  one  ordinance — that  he  has  even 
debarred  himself  from  any  communication  of  the  Spirit, 
whether  to  adults  or  infants,  until  the  very  moment  and  act 
of  baptism — that,  before  this,  the  subjects  are  only  objects 
of  his  displeasure,  the  children  of  wrath,  who  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  Heaven  ;  but  that  immediately  after,  and  by  the 
very  act,  they  become  new  beings,  their  natures  being 
changed,  themselves  being  henceforth  children  of  grace  and 
heirs  of  glory.  In  confirmation  of  this  it  is  alleged,  that 
while  the  Episcopal  Church,  in  several  places,  most  empha- 
tically declares  her  belief,  that  all  baptized  children  dying  in 
infancy,  and  all  adults  who  believe  and  are  baptized,  shall 
oertainly  be  saved,  she  nowhere  as  expressly  says,  that  any 
can  be  saved  without  baptism.  From  hence  it  is  inferred, 
that  she  at  least  so  far  doubts  the  fact  that  she  dares  not  as- 
sert a  belief  or  hope  of  it.  Such,  say  some  whose  minds  are 
uneasy  on  the  subject,  and  others  who  raise  this  as  an  ob- 
jection to  our  Church,  derive  support  from  the  fact,  that,  in 
the  writings  of  some  of  her  divines,  it  is  positively  affirmed 
that  such  are  her  real  views,  drawn  from  the  scriptures  as 
interpreted  by  the  early  church.  Within  the  last  few  years, 
especially,  there  have  appeared  those  who  maintain  that  our 
standards,  if  honestly  interpreted,  must  speak  sentiments  on 
the  subject  of  baptismal  regeneration  and  justification,  which 
to  many  of  us  appear  most  extravagant,  and  unsupported  either 
by  scripture,  reason,  or  experience.  On  these  accounts  some 
persons,  not  satisfied  to  observe  the  mere  formality  of  bap- 
tism, in  relation  either  to  themselves  or  children,  are  unable 
to  approach  it  in  that  state  of  mind  which  is  so  much  to  be 
•desired  when  about  to  perform  a  religious  act,  and  publicly 


to  invoke  theblessing  of  Heaven.  It  is  the  humble  hope  of 
the  writer  to  say  some  things,  which  may  not  only  aid  the 
pious  in  obtaining  a  devout  frame  of  mind,  but  in  some  mea- 
sure remove  uncomfortable  doubts  as  to  the  meaning  of  cer- 
tain words  used  in  our  impressive  offices  for  baptism. 

It  may  be  as  well  at  once  to  remark,  before  entering  on 
this  subject,  that  the  Scriptures  themselves,  written  as  they 
were  at  sundry  times  and  divers  manners,  and  on  various 
subjects,  though  all  tending  one  way,  are  in  some  places  hard 
to  be  understood,  and  difficult  to  be  reconciled  with  each 
other,  though  doubtless  there  is  a  perfect  harmony  through- 
out. By  a  careful  and  candid  comparison  of  the  different 
parts,  comparing  scripture  with  scripture,  very  much  of  this 
apparent  difference  is  removed ;  though,  after  all,  some 
learned  and  pious  persons  differ  not  a  little  as  to  the  precise 
meaning  of  some  passages.  Is  it  then  to  be  wondered  at, 
that  the  Church,  in  drawing  up  her  services  for  the  admin- 
istration of  a  divine  ordinance,  so  emphatically  enjoined  of 
■God,  and  spoken  of  by  the  inspired  writers  in  such  strong 
terms  of  commendation,  and  doing  it  in  words  whose  mean- 
ing is  always  liable  to  vary  somewhat  in  the  minds  of  men 
from  the  lapse  of  time  and  the  changes  of  language,  and  de- 
siring to  use  as  much  as  possible  of  the  language  of  scrip- 
ture, and  yet  express  herself  in  the  fewest  words  which 
would  answer — is  it,  I  say,  to  be  wondered  at,  that  in  at- 
tempting this,  she  should  not  entirely  succeed  in  conveying 
to  the  minds  of  all  her  members  and  ministers,  in  all  time  to 
come,  perfectly  clear  and  satisfactory  views  of  the  meaning 
of  all  the  terms  she  uses,  especially  when  we  know  that 
they  cannot  always  agree  as  to  the  meaning  of  those  very 
Scriptures  which  she  has  interwoven  with  her  services  ?  The 
very  brevity  which  she  must  necessarily  seek  in  services  so 
frequently  and  publicly  to  be  used,  rendered  it  almost  impos- 
sible to  meet  the  demands  of  some  as  to  clearness  and  expli- 
citness  of  doctrine.  Nevertheless,  it  becomes  us,  in  a  sin- 
cere desire  for  truth,  to  examine  the  words  of  Scripture  and 
the  Church ;  and  when  we  cannot  see,  as  it  were,  face  to 
face,  be  content  to  see  through  a  glass  darkly,  and  not  be 
ashamed  to  acknowledge  that  there  are  some  things  too  high 
for  us,  and  some  things  so  secret,  that  God  only  can  see  into 


10 

them.  But  while  we  must  admit  that  there  is  a  difficulty 
in  ascertaining,  to  our  perfect  satisfaction,  wThat  is  the  pre- 
cise meaning  of  certain  expressions,  whether  in  the  Scrip- 
tures or  the  services  of  the  Church,  it  is  pleasing  to  be  able 
to  say,  positively,  that  some  things  which  are  imputed  to 
them  are  not  to  be  found  there,  because  we  can  show  that 
they  are  plainly  contradicted  by  other  places,  about  which 
there  can  be  no  dispute.  One  principle  then  is  clearly  set 
forth  in  Scripture,  and  most  faithfully  copied  into  our  prayer 
book,  which  I  would  present  to  the  minds  of  my  readers,  as 
opposed  to  undue  and  extravagant  views  of  baptism,  or  of  any 
positive  ordinance,  such  as  are  sometimes  taken  of  them — I 
mean  the  distinction  so  clearly  made  by  God  himself  be- 
tween certain  things  belonging  to  his  Kingdom — some  things 
being  more  important  than  others,  though  all  must  needs  be 
important,  else  God  would  not  have  ordained  them.  There 
are  those  who  speak  as  if  it  were  most  presumptuous  and 
criminal  in  man  to  make  any  such  distinctions  or  compari- 
sons, or  to  affirm  that  any  of  God's  institutions  might  be  dis- 
pensed with,  for  any  cause  whatever,  without  imminent 
danger  to  the  soul,  if  not  certain  loss  of  it.  It  is  most  true, 
that  man  must  not  dare  to  make  exceptions,  and  to  dispense 
with  any  of  the  divine  appointments;  but  when  God  gives 
us  clear  intimations  of  his  preference  of  one  over  another, 
and  does  actually,  for  certain  reasons,  dispense  with  some 
and  not  with  others — who  are  we,  that  we  should  refuse  to 
allow  and  thankfully  receive  the  distinction  ?  We  do  not 
honor,  but  dishonor  God,  when  we  refuse  to  follow  where 
lie  leads  the  way,  and  maintain  exceptions  which  himself 
has  made.  Much  has  our  holy  religion  been  misrepresented 
and  dishonored  by  departing  from  this  principle,  and  hesi- 
tating to  admit  into  our  systems  exceptions  which  God  him- 
self has  established  in  the  government  of  his  Church,  and  the 
Jbestowment  of  his  grace.  Now,  God  has  most  clearly  distin- 
guished between  positive  institutions  and  moral  principles,  de- 
claring that  mercy  is  better  than  sacrifice ;  that  there  are  some 
matters  of  the  law  weightier  than  others,  though  none  must  be 
neglected,  not  even  the  least,  without  due  cause.  In  an- 
swer to  the  Scribe,  who  asked,  which  was  the  greatest  com- 
mandment, our  Lord,  instead  of  rebuking  him  for  an  im- 


11 

proper  question,  readily  answered;  establishing  the  principle 
of  an  essential  difference,  and  declaring  that  love  was  the 
very  soul  of  all  the  commandments.  On  the  same  principle 
we  are  told,  that  "without  holiness,  no  man  can  see  the 
Lord;"  and  that  "without  faith,  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God!"  But  is  it  thus  that  God  speaks  of  outward  ordinan- 
ces ?  Does  he  assure  us  that  the  omission  of  them,  no  mat- 
ter for  what  cause,  is  absolutely  fatal  to  the  soul  ?  Have  his 
own  dealings  with  the  Church  sanctioned  such  a  supposi- 
tion ?  Let  us  see  whether,  in  regard  to  the  two  initiatory 
ordinances,  circumcision  and  baptism,  we  have  a  right  to? 
draw  such  a  conclusion. 

In  a  most  special  manner,  God  appointed  circumcision  a& 
a  token  of  the  covenant  with  Abraham  and  his  posterity, 
commanding  young  and  old  to  observe  it,  and  saying,  that 
whosoever  was  not  circumcised  had  broken  the  covenant, 
and  must  be  cut  off  from  Israel.  As  to  the  extent  of  that 
penalty,  how  far  it  deprived  them  of  Jewish  privileges— when 
it  was  due  to  the  young  Israelite,  whose  parents  or  master 
neglected,  and  who  continued  to  neglect  it  himself — as  to  its 
supposed  bearing  on  the  future  condition  of  the  soul,  the 
Jewish  Rabbis,  in  the  absence  of  all  clear  declarations  from 
God,  expressed  their  own  opinions,  but  differed  not  a  little, 
though,  as  we  shall  see  hereafter,  some  rules  were  adopted  on 
the  subject,  in  the  way  of  church  discipline.  We  must  neces- 
sarily suppose  that  the  heavy  displeasure  of  God  was  incurs 
red  by  those  who  unnecessarily  neglected  it ;  and  that  the 
Jew,  who  through  life  wilfully  despised  this  ordinance  of 
God,  had  nothing  to  hope  from  him  in  another  world.  But 
that  it  was,  under  all  circumstances,  absolutely  necessary,  irt 
order  to  any  connexion  with  the  people  of  God,  or  the  cove- 
nant with  God,  or  to  salvation  hereafter,  how  can  we  believe, 
when  for  forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  during  a  period  when 
they  were  so  peculiarly  the  people  of  God,  as  to  his  protect- 
ing providence,  it  was  permitted  to  be  laid  aside.  Must  there- 
not  have  been,  during  the  continuance  of  the  Jewish  dis- 
pensation, thousands  of  instances  in  which  children,  pre- 
vented by  necessity  from  being  thus  entered  into  the  Jew- 
ish Church  on  the  eighth  day,  died  before  it  could  be  done  ; 
and  who  can  bring  himself  to  believe  that  such  were  lost  for- 


12 

ever?  Who  can  believe  that  the  thousands  of  infants,  des- 
troyed at  their  very  birth  by  the  command  of  Pharaoh,  to 
keep  down  the  increasing  numbers  of  the  people  of  God ; 
or  the  little  innocents  whom  Herod  destroyed,  in  order  to 
ensure  the  death  of  the  Babe  of  Bethlehem,  none  of  whom 
were  circumcised,  must  therefore  be  numbered  among  the 
lost  ones  ?  It  is  true  that  we  hear  of  some,  in  the  days  of 
the  Apostles,  saying,  "Except  ye  be  circumcised,  ye  can- 
not be  saved;"  but  they  were  not  the  words  of  God,  or  of 
his  inspired  penmen.  God's  word  ever  lays  the  emphasis 
on  the  circumcision  of  the  heart,  without  which  nothing  else 
could  avail.  As  to  baptism,  when  our  Lord  appeared  upon 
earth,  establishing  his  kingdom,  or  rather  continuing  and  en- 
larging that  which  he  already  had,  he  substituted  it  for  cir- 
cumcision, enjoining  the  observance,  with  expressions  of 
great  strength — "Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the 
Spirit,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved."  Such  words  appear 
to  be  absolute,  and  it  may  be  asked,  how  can  any  unbaptized 
person  hope  for  Heaven,  seeing  that  no  exception  is  made; 
but  that  faith  and  baptism, being  born  of  water  and  the  Spirit, 
are  coupled  together  on  seemingly  equal  terms,  and  both  re- 
quired. Who  shall  undertake  to  separate  them,  and  in  any 
one  instance  dispense  with  either?  Certainly  none  but  he 
who  gave  the  law,  and  joined  them  together.  But  if  he  does 
ever  make  a  difference,  and  separate  them,  who  are  we  that 
we  should  forbid,  and  say  it  is  impossible?  The  guilt  of 
presumption  is  with  him  who  doubts  and  refuses  to  acknow- 
ledge most  cheerfully  whatever  God  seems  plainly  to  inti- 
mate. Now,  it  is  evident,  that  in  many  places  of  Scripture 
they  are  spoken  of  separately.  Faith,  and  the  being  born 
of  the  Spirit,  are  repeatedly  declared  to  be  effectual  to  salva- 
tion, without  any  mention,  at  the  time,  of  baptism  with  wa- 
ter; wherea3  baptism  with  water  is  never  spoken  of  as%suf- 
iicient  or  effectual,  without  being  connected  with  the  word, 
or  Spirit,  or  faith,  or  repentance.  This  surely  could  not  have 
been  an  oversight  in  the  sacred  writets,  but  must  have  been 
designed  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  What  would  have  been  the 
effect  of  a  single  instance  of  salvation  even  seeming  to  be 
ascribed  to  baptism,  without  the  addition  of  faith  and  repen- 


13 

tance,  seeing  that  such  undue  power  is  ascribed  to  it,  even 
now  made  dependent  as  it  is  for  its  efficacy  in  the  hands  of 
God  on  those  things  which  are  connected  with  it  ?  One  of 
the  sacred  writers  (St.  Peter)  seems,  as  it  were,  on  the  point 
of  making  the  mistake,  when  he  says :  "  The  like  figure 
"whereunto  baptism  even  now  saves  us  ;"  but  he  immediate- 
ly adds,  "  not  the  working  away  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but 
the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God,"  lest  he 
should  be  misunderstood.  If  any  demand  some  act  or  de- 
claration, on  the  part  of  our  Lord,  shewing  that  this  is  the 
right  construction  to  be  put  on  the  language  of  Scripture, 
that  can  be  afforded.  I  know  not  who,  of  all  the  sinners  of 
this  earth,  had  better  assurance  of  salvation,  than  he  to  whom 
our  Lord,  in  his  last  agony,  said:  "This  night  shalt  thou 
be  with  me  in  Paradise ;"  and  yet  he  had  neither  been  bap- 
tized, nor  had  he  partaken  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  having 
only  faith  and  repentance. 

That  baptism  is  not  so  essential  to  salvation  but  that  there 
may  be  exceptions,  has  ever  been  the  general  sentiment  of 
the  Christian  Church.  There  were,  it  is  true,  in  some  of 
the  earlier  and  in  some  of  the  darker  ages,  those  who 
doubted  it,  and  those  who  denied  it ;  but  one  of  the  most 
thorough  enquirers  into  the  sentiments  of  the  primitive  chris- 
tians—the  learned  Bingham — informs  us,  that  when  in  the 
third  and  fourth  centuries  some  began  to  speak  in  such 
doubtful  terms  of  the  possibility  of  salvation  to  the  unbap- 
tized  child,  it  was  often  done  in  order  to  induce  parents  to 
bring  their  children  to  baptism ;  some  being  backward  in 
doing  it.  It  was  generally  agreed  that  martyrs,  executed 
before  they  could  bebaptized,  and  infants  who  could  not  re- 
ceive it,  though  through  no  fault  of  their  own,  would  be  saved 
without  it ;  and  that  only  the  wilful  contempt  of  it  by  the 
adult  would  be  visited  with  the  Divine  displeasure,  and  ex- 
clusion from  Heaven.  Such  may  truly  be  said  of  our  own 
Church,  and  of  all  the  churches  of  the  Reformation.  In 
protesting  against  many  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Romish 
Church,  they  did  not  fail  to  let  it  be  known,  that  they  sym- 
pathized not  with  her  in  the  cruel  belief  that  the  want  of  bap  j 
tism  was  the  loss  of  Heaven  to  the  babe  of  yesterday,  who 
dies  in  its  mother's  arms,  unable  to  ask  for,  or  even  think  of? 
2 


14 

the  needed  grace.  If  it  be  asked,  why  our  Church  does  not 
more  expressly,  and  at  the  very  time  of  baptism,  make  the 
exceptions,  and  protest  against  the  hateful  doctrine,  we  an- 
swer, that  in  this,  as  in  other  things,  she  has  carefully  copied 
after  God's  word.  First,  she  solemnly  sets  forth  the  com- 
mand of  C  hrist ;  then  the  sure  promise  to  those  who  believe 
and  are  baptized  ;  then  she  is  careful,  after  the  example  of 
scripture,  to  set  forth,  in  various  places,  the  promises  to 
faith  and  repentance,  the  new  birth  by  the  word  and  Spirit,, 
without  any  allusion  to  baptism  ;  and  then,  lest  this  should 
not  su  ffice,  as  our  Lord  in  his  last  agony  made  an  excep- 
tion, she  honors  the  principle ;  for,  in  her  catechism,  she  says, 
as  to  both  the  sacraments,  that  they  are  only  "generally 
necessary  to  salvation"  allowing  for  exceptions,  though  it 
was  not  her  part  to  specify  them.  In  the  baptism  of  adults 
she  is  more  express,  for  immediately  after  quoting  those 
very  words  of  our  Lord,  which  some  think  forbid  us  to  make 
an  exception — after  declaring  that,  except  a  man  be  born  of 
water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven — she  immediately  adds,  as  a  comment  on  the 
words,  "  Whereby  ye  may  perceive  the  great  necessity  of 
this  sacrament,  wThere  it  may  be  had."  As  to  the  Lord's 
Supper,  also,  in  the  same  spirit,  she  says,  that  when  pre- 
vented by  sickness  from  receiving  the  appointed  memorials 
from  the  hands  of  a  minister,  the  pious  believer  may  with- 
out them,  by  the  exercise  of  a  true  faith,  partake  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  in  the  only  way  in  which  the  Church 
understands  that  participation — that  is,  after  a  heavenly  and; 
spiritual  manner.  In  like  manner,  as  to  baptism,  she  holds 
that  those  who  have  been  born  again  of  the  word  and  Spirit, 
and  have  come  to  true  faith  and  penitence — thus  dying — will, 
according  to  God's  promise  to  true  believers,  be  saved,  al- 
though they  may  have  been  prevented  from  Christian  bap- 
tism. Nor  shall  we  go  beyond  numbers  of  the  most  learned, 
pious,  and  devoted  sons  and  ministers  of  the  Church,  (al- 
though it  was  not  to  be  expected  that  she  herself  should  un- 
dertake formally  to  make  such  exceptions,)  in  expressing 
our  conviction  that  there  have  been,  at  different  periods  in  the 
Christian  Church,  some  pious  but  mistaken  persons,  who 
have  so  misunderstood  the  design  of  our  Lord  as  to  suppose 


15 

that  the  only  baptism  required  was  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit, 
and  have  therefore  sought  and  received  only  that.  This 
conviction  having  been  carefully  instilled  into  the  minds  of 
their  children,  they  have  grown  up  among  Christians  in  the 
firm  belief  that  it  was  unnecessary,  and  have  neglected  this 
seal  of  Heaven.  Thus  obeying  their  earthly  parents,  they 
have  thought  that  they  were  also  honoring  their  heavenly  one. 
Who  among  us  can  question  the  piety  and  salvation  of  num- 
bers in  the  society  of  Friends,  who  were  never  baptized  with 
water  ?  Although  we  must  at  the  same  time  not  only  deeply 
lament,  but  most  strongly  condemn,  the  false  and  dangerous 
method  of  interpreting  Scripture  adopted  by  this  society, 
and  which  by  leading  to  the  disuse  of  so  many  external  ob- 
servances, has,  we  doubt  not,  by  the  just  judgment  of  God, 
and,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  been  the  chief  cause  why 
so  many  of  them,  beginning  with  the  neglect  of  outward 
baptism,  have  ended  in  the  denial  of  the  inward,  and  in  the 
shipwreck  of  all  true  faith. 

While  on  this  subject,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  allude  to 
another  difficulty  in  the  way  of  those  who  hold  that  in  bap- 
tism only  is  found  the  regeneration,  or  first  beginning  of  sanc- 
tification  in  the  heart,  and  that  without  it  there  can  be  no- 
thing with  which  to  work,  and  on  which  parents  and  others 
rnay  operate.  There  are  those  amongst  us,  who,  while 
highly  exalting  baptism,  and  dwelling  much  on  the  mere 
mode  of  it,  yet  sincerely  believe  that  it  should  not  be  admin- 
istered to  infants,  but  postponed  until  the  actual  exercise  of 
faith ;  and  yet  they  think  it  proper  to  endeavor  to  prepare 
their  children  for  it  by  a  pious  education,  in  dependence  on 
the  divine  blessing.  Some  of  these  are  happily  successful, 
and  see  the  fruits  of  their  prayers  and  efforts  in  the  early 
piety  of  their  children,  though  not  baptized  in  infancy ;  while 
numbers  who  were  baptized,  and  have  received  some  pious 
nurture  and  admonition,  never  exhibit  such  evidences.  God, 
therefore,  does  not  restrict  the  first  gift  of  his  Spirit  to  bap- 
tism, else  the  unbaptized  could  never  take  the  first  step  in 
religion,  whether  in  early  youth  or  at  any  later  period  ;  un- 
less, indeed,  we  should  adopt  the  theory  of  some  amongst 
us,  who,  in  this  respect,  much  resemble  the  Romanists,  in 
maintaining  that  a  living,  saving  faith  is  not  required  fo  y 


16 

baptism;  that  is,  such  a  faith  as  can  only  be  put  into  the 
heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  but  that  a  mere  assent  of  the  mind 
to  Christianity,  as  a  fact,  is  sufficient;  and  that  if  we  come 
to  baptism  with  that,  then,  and  for  the  first  time,  the  Holy 
Ghost  will  be  given  unto  us,  and  we  shall  be  born  again, 
exercising  true  faith  and  repentance  unto  salvation.  Surely  I 
need  not  say  how  contrary  to  all  the  teaching  of  our  church 
such  a  theory  is.  The  only  faith  which  she  knows  and  re- 
quires is  a  lively  faith ;  the  only  repentance,  one  so  deep 
and  strong  as  to  enable  us  to  forsake  sin  and  lead  a  new  life. 
These  are  required  most  positively  of  the  adult  before  bap- 
tism, and  the  faithful  promise  of  them  demanded  of  the  child. 
On  this  subject  we  shall  speak  more  fully  hereafter. 

And  now,  should  any  suppose  that  we  mean  to  leave  it  to 
the  decision  of  man,  whether  or  not  he  is  to  observe  this  di- 
vine ordinance,  as  may  seem  necessary  or  important  to  him 
— that  he  may  at  pleasure  dispense  with  positive  institutions 
and  outward  forms,  because  moral  principles  and  inward  af- 
fections are  more  important,  we  can  assure  them  that  nothing 
can  be  farther  from  our  belief  or  design.  It  is  most  suitable 
to  our  nature,  not  only  that  there  should  be  outward  things— 
visible  words,  as  the  Fathers  called  the  sacraments — address- 
ing themselves  to  our  souls  through  the  senses,  and  thus  be- 
coming the  channels  of  divine  grace,  but  that  there  be  posi- 
tive precepts,  as  tests  of  our  obedience,  even  though  we  may 
not  see  any  natural  and  necessary  connexion  between  them 
and  the  divine  blessing  promised  to  tlie  proper  observance  of 
them.  Thus  it  was  from  the  beginning,  when  God  com- 
manded man  to  refrain  from  a  certain  tree  of  the  garden,  and 
when  one  act  of  disobedience  brought  so  much  evil  on  man- 
kind. In  that  case  there  was  no  necessity  for  transgression, 
no  impossibility  of  performance  ;  but  the  spirit  of  disaffection 
arose  in  the  bosom  of  our  first  parent,  and  he  was  banished 
the  blissful  abode,  though  not  left  without  hope  of  regaining 
the  divine  favor.  In  relation  to  the  command  to  be  baptized, 
so  plainly  given,  where  no  invincible  prejudice  against  it  is 
instilled  into  the  youthful  mind — where  the  duty  is  admitted, 
the  call  made,  the  opportunity  afforded,  the  salvation  pro- 
mised— who  can  hesitate  to  say  that  any  one,  wilfully  and 
deliberately  refusing  to  comply,  and  continuing  so  to  do  while 


17 

the  Saviour's  words  are  ever  sounding  in  his  ears,  cannot  be 
.saved.  It  is  only  to  say  that  a  rebel  against  the  authority  of 
Heaven,  thus  living,  thus  dying,  cannot  be  admitted  to  its 
honors  and  joys.  Such  conduct  proves  a  heart  destitute  of 
piety.  Such  an  one  is  condemned  already.  A  precept  or 
ordinance,  much  less  emphatically  urged  in  Scripture  than 
this,  thus  violated,  were  certain  loss  of  the  soul.  Any  re- 
quirement, however  comparatively  trivial,  wilfully  contemn- 
ed, and  habitually  neglected,  must  prove  fatal  to  the  soul. 
Let  it  be  remembered,  also,  that  the  neglect  of  baptism 
through  life,  is  not  merely  one  act  of  disobedience,  but  a  long 
series  of  acts,  continuing  from  day  to  day,  and  forming  a  regu- 
lar habit  of  disobedience.  If  it  could  only  be  performed  at 
one  particular  time  in  the  course  of  our  lives,  and  we  should 
permit  that  time  to  pass  by  without  it,  we  might  plead  that 
the  penalty  was  too  severe ;  but  such  is  not  the  case,  for  this 
is  a  standing  command  from  day  to  day,  and  we  are  ever  dis- 
obeying it  while  we  continue  unprepared  for  it,  and  do  not 
ask  for  it.  He  who  offendeth  in  one  point  is  guilty  of  all,  for 
he  shows  that  he  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  but  is  a 
rebel;  and  can  only  be  treated  as  such. 

On  this  subject  let  me  add  one  word  to  parents.  If  it  be 
God's  will  that  you  present  your  children  to  him  in  baptism, 
that  he  may  receive  and  bless  them,  and  you  fail  to  do  it, 
although  it  be  far  from  us  to  say  or  believe  that,  for  this  very 
neglect,  of  which  they  are  guiltless,  God  will,  should  they 
die  unbaptized,  destroy  their  poor  bodies  and  souls  in  hell ; 
yet,  according  to  God's  established  laws,  you  know  not  how 
much  you  may  offend  him,  injure  yourselves,  and  hinder  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  your  children.  This  neglect  on  your 
parts  may  be  only  the  first  of  a  series  of  neglects,  each  con- 
tributing to  the  other,  and  all  contributing  something  to  your 
children's  ruin.  Your  neglect  of  it,  while  they  are  children, 
may  operate  as  an  argument  and  example  for  their  neglect 
when  they  come  to  years  of  discretion.  Even  unnecessary 
delay  on  your  parts  in  bringing  them  to  Christ's  ordinance 
may  lead  to  other  delays,  and  all  may  contribute  to  the  delay 
of  their  conversion,  until  it  be  too  late,  forever.  The  indif- 
ference and  dilatoriness  of  many,  in  this  respect,  can  only  be 
.ascribed  to  a  want  of  deep  feeling  as  to  the  necessity  of  di- 
.     2* 


18 

vine  grace  for  the  renewal  of  the  corrupt  natures  of  our  chil- 
dren, and  want  of  faith  in  the  capacity  of  our  children,  at  an 
early  age,  to  receive  the  same,  although  it  be  not  tied  to  the 
moment  and  act  of  baptism.  It  is  impossible  to  say  how 
much  the  needless  delay  and  heartless  performance  of  our 
part  in  this  ordinance  may  injure  the  best  interests  of  the 
child,  by  displeasing  God,  and  leading  to  other  neglects  and 
failures  in  his  education.  One  of  the  Fathers,  in  urging  a 
speedy  bringing  of  little  children  to  the  Loid,  enumerates 
a  number  of  trivial  and  unworthy  excuses  which  some  make 
for  delay,  as  the  want  of  fine  clothes,  in  which  it  may  ap- 
pear well  to  the  eyes  of  men,  or  the  weather,  or  such  like 
things.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  too  many  parents,  as  well  as  many 
of  the  congregation,  have  their  thoughts  more  engaged  about 
the  appearance  and  behavior  of  the  child  on  that  occasion, 
than  on  the  solemn  duty  itself.  Were  they  to  bring  their 
children  at  the  earliest  period  which  prudence  would  allow, 
it  would  seldom  happen  that  their  minds,  or  the  minds  of 
others,  would  be  diverted  from  the  devotions  of  the  occasion 
by  the  cries  or  misconduct  of  the  little  ones. 

Having  thus  endeavored  to  remove  some  unjust  imputa- 
tions from  our  Church,  and  uncomfortable  feelings  from  the 
minds  of  some  who  might  fear  that  she  was  liable  to  these 
imputations;  having  in  few  words  affirmed  that  not  only  the 
Church,  but  the  Scriptures,  were  opposed  to  certain  extra- 
vagant and  very  painful  views  on  the  subject  of  baptism, 
which  from  time  to  time  have  been  maintained  by  some,  I 
now  conclude  the  chapter  by  commending  to  the  readers 
what,  all  surely  must  admit  to  be  the  best  method  of  coming 
to  a  satisfactory  conclusion  on  this  subject. 

As  the  Word  of  God  is  our  only  infallible  rule  of  faith;  as 
baptism  is  just  what  God's  word  makes  it,  and  not  what  the 
Fathers,  the  Reformers,  or  the  Prayer  Book  make  it ;  so,  if 
any  one  truly  desires  to  form  a  right  estimate  of  it,  either  in 
itself,  or  relatively  as  to  other  things,  let  him  take  up  the 
New  Testament,  and  read  it  over  carefully  and  prayerfully; 
as  he  proceeds,  let  him  particularly  attend  to  what  is  said  of 
baptism,  and  also  of  faith,  repentance,  the  word,  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Let  him  mark  them  in  their  connection  with  each 
other,  and  when  they  are  spoken  of  separately.     Let  him 


19 

notice  what  is  the  frequency  and  the  emphasis  with  which 
each  is  mentioned;  what  the  effects  ascribed  to  them,  either 
separately  or  in  their  connection.  Let  him  attend  to  the  con- 
text, which  often  sheds  light  upon  the  text.  He  may  some- 
times derive  aid  from  a  commentator,  in  finding  out  the  mean- 
ing of  some  figurative  expression,  or  some  allusion  to  ancient 
usages;  and,  therefore,  such  reference  is  not  to  be  forbidden. 
By  so  doing,  I  am  confident  that,  though  a  clear  and  satisfac- 
tory view  of  the  meaning  of  every  passage  relating  to  bap- 
tism may  not  be  had,  yet  the  candid  inquirer  will  not  fail  to 
attain  to  a  sound  view  of  the  design  and  relative  position  and 
importance  of  baptism,  as  subsidiary  to  those  absolutely  es- 
sential conditions  of  salvation — faith  and  repentance. 

The  same  mode  also  would  I  recommend  for  ascertaining 
the  sense  of  our  church  in  her  formularies.  Let  both  of  her 
baptismal  services  be  carefully  studied  in  connection  with 
the  catechism,  the  articles,  the  homilies,  and  the  whole  pray- 
er book,  and  compared  together  ;  and  though  the  inquirer 
may  be  unable  to  understand  and  reconcile  every  word,  he 
will  scarcely  fail  to  arrive  at  a  conclusion  which  ought  to  sat- 
isfy him.  He  will  perceive  that  the  Church  faithfully  aimed 
at  a  strict  conformity  with  Scripture,  as  to  language  and  doc- 
trine, and  has  set  forth  none  of  those  extravagant  and  most 
unscriptural  doctrines  held  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  and 
which  were  denounced  so  strongly  in  the  sermons  and  writ- 
ings -of  the  Reformers. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Scriptural  view  of  Circumcision  and  Baptism. 

It  will  be  a  leading  object  in  this  treatise  to  show  how 
Crod  is  pleased  to  select,  as  a  channel  through  which  to  pour 
forth  his  mercy  and  grace,  that  which  is  also  permitted  to 
be  the  means  of  entailing  sin  and  misery  on  man — I  mean 
the  connection  between  parents  and  their  offspring.  If  Eve 
was  bone  of  Adam's  bone  and  flesh  of  his  flesh,  so  are  chil- 
dren of  their  parents — partakers  of  their  nature,  deriving  their 
existence,  soul  and  body,  through  them,  and  for  a  while  en- 
tirely dependent  on  them.  It  was  the  promise  of  God  to 
our  unhappy  fallen  parents,  that  the  seed  of  the  woman 
should  bruise  the  serpent's  head.  Accordingly,  when  Cain 
was  born,  they  exulted  in  the  thought  that  in  him  the  bless- 
ing was  come.  How  sadly  must  they  have  been  disappoint- 
ed when  they  saw  in  him  the  murderer  of  his  brother,  and 
how  deeply  affected  at  thought  of  their  own  sin  must  they  ever 
have  been  when  perceiving,  in  any  of  their  children,  the  ex- 
hibition of  that  sinful  nature  which  they  felt  working  in 
their  own  members,  and  which  they  had  been  the  means  of 
communicating  to  others.  How  deeply  should  this  affect 
•all  parents,  and  how  earnestly  and  speedily  should  they  ap- 
ply to  God  for  his  grace  to  prevent  the  fatal  effects  of  it. 
Though  disappointed  in  their  first  hope,  yet  we  read  that,  in 
process  of  time  God  gave  them  another  son  in  place  of  Abel, 
even  Seth,  in  whose  line  was  Enoch  and  Noah.  His  chil- 
dren and  descendants  were  called  sons  of  God ;  they  called 
on  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;  they  were  the  righteous,  until 
they  intermarried  with  the  daughters  of  men,  the  ungodly 
ones,  and  became  corrupt.  At  length,  God  saw  that  the 
wickedness  of  man  was  so  great  on  the  earth  that  he  must 
purge  it  by  a  deluge.  He  chose  eight  only  from  all  the  mil- 
lions which  swarmed  on  the  earth,  and  they  were  all  of  one 
family.  God  blessed  the  children  of  Noah,  and  chose  them 
to  be  the  means  of  replenishing  the  earth  and  fulfilling  his 
promise.  Again,  when  the  children  of  men  had  become  so 
corrupt  that  all  trutli  and  godliness  was  perishing  from  the 
earth,  God  chose  from  among  them  the  patriarch  Abraham 


21 

to  be  the  father  of  the  faithful,  in  whose  line  the  promised 
Saviour  should  be  born.  The  reason  assigned  for  it  was— I 
know  my  servant  Abraham,  that  he  will  command  his  house- 
hold after  him.  He  could  trust  him  with  this  great  work, 
for  he  would,  by  godly  discipline  and  instruction,  train  up 
his  children  and  servants  in  the  service  of  the  true  God,  and 
in  the  hope  of  a  Saviour  to  come.  The  promise  of  God  was 
to  him  and  his  seed  after  him,  that  he  would  be  to  them  a 
God,  and  they  be  to  him  a  people ;  he  a  father,  they  sons 
and  daughters.  Many  years  after  this,  and  after  God  had 
given  proofs  of  his  faithfulness  to  Abraham,  and  Abraham  of 
his  faithfulness  to  God,  the  Lord  appeared  to  him  and  re- 
newed his  promise,  and  then  appointed  circumcision,  to  be 
applied  to  himself  and  his  household,  as  a  sign  and  seal,  or 
token  of  the  covenant,  whereby  they  might  be  the  more  as- 
sured of  his  faithfulness  and  truth,  and  be  known  to  be  his 
peculiar  people,  and  become  bound  to  keep  his  command- 
ments. Although  God  had  not  only  promised  once,  and 
then  sworn  to  it,  saying — Surely,  blessing  I  will  bless  thee — 
thus,  as  the  apostle  says,  by  two  immutable  things,  giving 
them  strong  consolation;  yet  he  was  pleased,  also,  to  add 
another  confirmation,  even  a  mark  on  their  bodies,  on  their 
first  coming  into  the  world,  as  soon  as  they  had  a  visible 
existence,  in  order  that  they  might  be  the  more  assured  of 
his  love,  and  also  reminded  of  their  obligations.  In  connec- 
tion with  this  rite,  and  in  order  to  give  it  efficacy  in  after 
life,  God  gave  laws  to  his  people,  and  enjoined  it  upon  them 
to  see  that  these  were  most  carefully  inculcated  upon  their 
children,  and  obedience  required.  At  sundry  times,  and  di- 
vers manners,  God  spake  to  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,  and 
caused  all  the  words  to  be  written  for  the  study  of  his  peo- 
ple, that  by  his  perfect  law  he  might  convert  their  souls,  and 
make  them  wise  unto  salvation.  By  his  Spirit  he  opened 
the  eyes  of  their  minds  to  see  wondrous  things  in  that  law; 
wherefore,  the  apostle,  in  answer  to  the  question — "What  pro- 
fit there  was  in  circumcision,  or  what  advantage  there  was 
to  the  Jew?"  says — "much  every  way;  chiefly  that  unto  them 
were  committed  the  oracles  of  God;1'  they  had  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth.  If  they  did  not  embrace  the  truth  when 
capable  of  understanding  it,  their  circumcision  virtually  be- 


22 

came  uncircumeision ;  it  profited  not  unless  they  kept  the 
law ;  though  they  were  in  a  sense  of  Israel,  yet  still  were  not 
Israel.  He  only  was  the  Jew,  who  was  so  inwardly  ;  that 
only  was  circumcision,  which  was  of  the  heart.  That  the 
Jews  thus  regarded  it,  as  only  effectual  for  good  if  owned 
and  ratified  when  they  came  to  years  of  discretion,  is  evi- 
dent from  the  fact,  that,  though  there  was  no  such  command 
given  of  God,  yet  at  the  time  of  their  circumcision  certain 
persons  called  sponsors  were  required  to  promise  the  same 
in  their  name,  and  at  a  certain  age  they  were  expected  to 
come  forward  and  renew  these  promises,  and  then  partake 
of  the  passover ;  and,  on  a  failure  so  to  do,  they  were  con- 
sidered as  renouncing  or  breaking  the  covenant.  It  is  a  no- 
torious fact  that  the  Jews,  beyond  any  nation  on  earth,  have 
always  been  most  particular  in  teaching  the  precepts  of  their 
religion  to  their  children,  and  in  making  them  accurately  ac- 
quainted with  the  contents  and  meaning  of  their  sacred  books ; 
hence  their  firm  adherence  to  the  same.  As  to  the  design 
and  use  of  circumcision,  surely  the  pious  and  enlightened 
Israelites  could  have  been  at  no  loss.  It  was  a  sign  or  seal 
©f  a  covenant  between  God  and  the  family  of  Abraham,  in 
which  God  made  certain  promises  to  the  posterity  of  Abra- 
ham. "  I  will  be  a  God  to  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee," 
contained  everything  which  man  could  need.  In  it  was  es- 
pecially found  the  precious  promise  of  that  seed  of  the  woman 
who  was  to  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  that  Saviour  who  was 
to  overcome  the  wicked  one,  that  forgiveness  of  sins  which 
poor  sinners  needed.  And  as  no  one  could  come  to  Christ 
except  he  was  drawn  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  no  one  could 
be  made  meet  for  the  Heaven  purchased  by  Christ,  except  he 
was  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  so  the  promise  of  the  Spirit 
was  also  contained  in  it.  These  two  things  are  the  sum  and 
substance  of  the  promise  to  Abraham  and  his  posterity,  viz., 
the  forgiveness  of  sins  through  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  make  us  meet  for  Heaven. 
The  whole  Jewish  dispensation  was  appointed  to  prepare 
for  this ;  the  whole  law,  moral  and  ceremonial,  was  a  school- 
master to  bring  us  to  Christ.  The  moral  law  was  designed 
to  convince  of  sin ;  the  ceremonial  law,  with  all  its  sacri- 
fices,  to  show  us  that,  without  shedding  of  blood,  there 


23 

could  be  no  remission  of  sin.  All  the  purifications  with 
water  were  designed  to  show  us  how  our  hearts  must  be 
washed  from  sin  by  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The 
pious  Jew  understood  this,  and  delivered  it  to  his  children;. 
He  looked  for  a  Saviour  to  liberate  from  sin,  and  sought 
the  aids  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  circumcise  his  heart.  Cir- 
cumcision was  to  each  child,  as  soon  as  he  entered  the  world, 
a  seal  of  these  promises ;  an  assurance  to  each  one,  of  those 
promises  which  were  made  generally  to  all,  before  they  had 
any  existence.  Circumcision  did  not  first  cause  God  to  have 
pity  on  the  child,  and  to  promise  favors  on  certain  conditions, 
butonly  certified  and  sealed  what  was  felt  in  the  bosom  ofGod, 
and  promised  long  before.  Circumcision  did  not  first  create 
duties  and  obligations  on  the  part  of  the  child  not  before  ex- 
isting, but  only  set  them  forth  most  impressively.  It  was, 
on  the  part  of  God,  a  recognition  of  the  child  as  a  child  of 
promise  and  of  the  church ;  and  an  union  of  it  to  the 
people  of  God  by  an  appointed  ordinance.  Sometimes  God 
anticipated  this  recognition  and  designation  of  them,  by 
sanctifying  them,  or  setting  them  apart  for  holy  purposes 
before  they  were  born — as  in  the  case  of  Jeremy  and  John 
the  Baptist.  But  however  God's  good  will  may  have  been 
towards  them  while  in  the  mother's  womb  ;  and  as  the  sanctifi- 
cation  of  them — whatever  that  may  have  been — it  is  evident 
that  the  child  must  have  a  being  among  us  ere  it  can  be 
added  to  a  visible  church,  and  receive  the  promises,  or  any 
seal  of  them.  As  the  promises  were,  before  the  existence  of 
the  child,  so  they  must  be  his,  as  soon  as  he  begins  to  ex'st ; 
though  they  can  only  be  publicly  made  over  to  him,  by 
the  sealing  of  the  same,  when  he  has  a  visible  being,  or 
is  borne  into  this  world.  So  soon  as  this  takes  place  the  in- 
strument is  completed,  and  the  seal  set.  Hence  God's  com- 
mand, that  even  on  the  eighth  day,  as  soon  as  it  could  be 
safely  done,  the  child  must  be  entered  into  covenant.  The 
promise  of  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  the  gift  of  the  Spirit, 
must  be  sealed  unto  him  ;  and  thus  an  assurance  is  given 
that  the  evil  nature  he  brings  with  him  into  the  world  shall 
not  be  his  condemnation,  nor  his  actual  sins  either,  provided 
he  uses  the  Holy  Spirit,  now  pledged  to  him  as  a  sanctifier 
of  his  nature,  and  trusts  to   the  covenant  mercy  of  God 


24 

in  Christ;  otherwise  all  is  frustrate,  the  covenant  is  broken? 
the  soul  is  cut  off  from  God  and  happiness  forever.* 

Such  is  the  object  of  eircumcision  in  relation  to  the  pos- 
terity of  Abraham,  in  whose  line  all  the  families  of  the  earth 


*  On  early  dedication  of  Children. — It  may  not  be  amiss  to  dwell  par- 
ticularly on  this  point.  Not  only  was  the  determination  to  be  merciful 
to  man,  through  his  Son,  and  by  his  Spirit,  in  the  mind  of  God  from  all 
eternity,  but  in  his  word,  this  good  will  towards  infants,  as  exhibited 
by  Christ  when  he  took  them  in  his  arms,  was  set  forth  in  repeated 
promises,  generally,  to  all  who  should  have  being.  As  soon  as  any 
soul  should  begin  to  exist,  the  good  will  and  the  promise  of  God  had  an 
object  on  which  to  act.  We  read  of  some  who  were  sanctified,  or  set 
apart  for  some  holy  purpose,  even  before  they  were  born  into  this  world; 
which  shows  that  they  were  recognised  by  God  before  they  were  even 
born — of  course  before  either  baptism  or  circumcision.  But  all  will  per- 
ceive that  they  must  have  a  visible  existence  before  the  visible  Church 
can  recognise  them,  or  they  become  subjects  of  any  ordinance  appointed 
for  the  visible  Church.  As  soon  as  they  are  born  however,  they  be- 
come proper  subjects,  and  it  seems  to  have  been  the  design  of  God,  by 
the  appointment  of  circumcision  at  so  early  a  period  as  the  eighth  day, 
to  show  to  men,  that  his  promises  were  theirs,  as  soon  as  it  was  possi- 
ble to  do  so  ;  that  is,  as  soon  as  they  had  any  visible  existence.  The 
admission  into  his  Church,  by  the  appointed  seal,  was  almost  contem- 
poraneous with  its  birth,  being  as  soon  after  as  was  practicable  without 
danger  of  life.  Some  of  the  Jews  considered  the  eighth  day  as  the  first 
day  of  the  child's  life,  believing  that  a  child  was  not  perfect  until  one 
Sabbath  had  passed  over  it.  It  was  only  in  case  of  the  sickness  of  the 
child,  that  they  felt  themselves  at  liberty  to  postpone  the  initiatory  rite, 
knowing  that  God  preferred  mercy  to  sacrifice.  The  Christian  Church 
has  ever  been  urgent  on  this  point,  wishing  that  the  application  of  the 
seal  of  God's  promises  should  be  as  nearly  as  possible  contemporaneous 
with  its  existence  ;  not  even  waiting,  oft-times,  for  the  mother  to  regain 
the  health  and  strength  with  which  to  bear  it  in  her  arms  to  the  Church 
of  God ;  so  that  God  is  not  obliged  to  suspend  his  love  until  the  parents 
shall  choose  to  bring  their  children  to  him  for  a  blessing.  His  good 
will  and  promise  is  to  them  ere  they  are  born ;  and  as  soon  as  they  are 
born,  he  bids  them  be  brought  to  him,  to  receive  the  seal  and  assurance 
of  it.  If  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  life  seems  to  be  identified  with 
baptism,  it  is  because  God  and  the  Church  would  have  baptism  to  be  at 
the  very  beginning  of  their  visible  existence.  So,  as  to  adults,  it  is  evi- 
dently the  will  of  God,  that  as  soon  as  they  truly  believe  in  Christ,  and 
renounce  all  sin,  they  ought  to  be  baptized — baptism  and  their  Christian 
life  should  be  contemporaneous ;  so  it  was  at  the  first.  See  how  imme- 
diately the  jailor,  the  eunuch,  those  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  and  others,, 
were  baptized  after  their  conversion.  So  the  Church  would  have  it  to 
be  with  confirmation  ;  as  soon  as  they  have  resolved  to  fulfil  their  bap- 
tismal vows,  they  are  fit  subjects  for  confirmation,  though  it  is  not  al- 
ways practicable  to  have  it  administered. 


25 

were  to  be  blessed.  But  it  was  not  restricted  altogether  to 
the  children  of  Abraham.  From  the  first  it  was  extended  to 
servants  and  strangers  born  among  them,  or  coming  and  liv- 
ing among  them,  and  thus  enjoying  the  means  of  knowing 
th£true  God.  These,  and  any  others  from  surrounding  na- 
tions, becoming  converts  to  the  Jewish  religion,  were,  to- 
gether with  their  children,  by  express  command  of  God, 
taken  into  covenant.  These  were  called  of  God  in  another 
way— not  by  birth,  but  by  the  word  of  instruction.  When 
these  were  introduced  into  covenant,  it  was  not  by  circum- 
cision only,  but  by  baptism  with  water,  and  by  sprinkling 
the  blood  of  some  animal  sacrificed  on  the  occasion  ;  so  that 
the  promises  of  sanctification  by  the  spirit,  and  forgiveness 
through  Christ,  were  set  forth  by  these  ceremonies.  Indeed, 
the  Jewish  Rabbis  say,  that  their  fathers  also,  entered  into 
covenant  by  circumcision  and  baptism  and  the  sprinkling  of 
blood  ;  the  two  latter  being  with  them  only  attendant  circum- 
stances, a  part  of  the  ceremony,  just  as  the  use  of  oil  and 
salt  among  the  Romanists  are  parts  of  the  ceremony  of  bap- 
tism. But  in  relation  to  proselytes  from  the  heathen,  as  all 
other  nations  were  reckoned  unclean,  they  were  thus  washed 
from  their  fllthiness.  They  were  also  said  to  be  baptized 
into  Moses — that  is,  into  the  Mosaic  religion  or  dispensation. 
All  who  were  thus  baptized,  were  said  to  be  regenerate  or 
new  born,  as  a  child  is  new  bom.*  Renouncing  their  Gods, 
their  country,  and  all  their  kindred,  old  things  passed  away 
from  them,  and  all  things  became  new.  It  is  thought  St. 
Paul  alluded  to  this  when  he  said,  "  henceforth  know  we  no 
man  after  the  flesh."     As  we  often  say,  christen  instead  of 

*  Heathen  proselytes,  though  baptized  without  any  command  of  God, 
were  said  to  be  regenerate  and  born  again,  because  taken  out  of  the 
idolatrous  world  where  they  were  "sinners  of  the  Gentiles,  aliens  from 
the  commonwealth  of  Israel,"  and  put  into  the  Jewish  Church,  the  fam- 
ily of  God,  and  thus  made  the  sons  of  God  by  adoption.  When  Christ 
appointed  baptism,  he  bid  his  apostles  go  into  all  the  world,  making 
proselytes  from  the  whole  heathen  world — adopting  them  into  his  family 
— grafting  them  into  his  Church.  Those  thus  proselyted  or  discipled — 
thus  taken  out  of  the  Heathen  world,  were  still  said  to  be  regenerated 
or  twice  born.  The  same  ternis  were  applied  to  their  children,  when 
baptized ;  for  the  promise  was  to  those  who  believed  and  their  children— 
they  were  all  thus  the  children  of  adoption. 

3 


26 

baptize,  so  the  Jews  said  of  their  Gentile  converts,  that  they 
were  regenerate,  instead  of  baptized.  We  are  also  informed 
that  a  convert,  if  of  age,  made  profession  to  a  court,  (which 
consisted  of  three  grave  men,)  that  he  would  keep  the  law 
of  Moses.  In  the  case  of  minors,  the  court  itself  did  pro- 
fess, in  their  name,  the  same  thing,  (just  as  in  the  Christian 
Church  the  godfathers  do,)  if  their  parents  were  not  there  to- 
do  it  for  them.  The  court  was  called  the  house  of  judgment, 
and  became  a  father  to  the  child.  Male  children  of  such  con- 
verts, under  thirteen  years  and  a  day,  and  females  under  twelve 
years  and  a  day,  were  baptized  as  infants,  at  the  request,  and  by 
the  consent  of  the  parents,  or  the  authority  of  the  court — the 
child  not  being  regarded  as  yet  a  son  of  assent,  that  is,  ca- 
pable of  giving  assent.  An  Israelite  might  also  adopt  a  Hea- 
then child,  and  baptize  him.  We  have  been  thus  particular  in 
mentioning  these  facts,  because  they  have  a  bearing  on  what 
will  yet  be  said,  as  to  the  meaning  of  certain  words  now  in 
use,  and  on  certain  forms  and  rules  peculiar  to  our  Church 
touching  baptism.  Having  thus  seen  what  were  the  prom- 
ises of  God  to  the  posterity  of  Abraham,  and  to  all  who  should, 
from  the  nations  around,  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true 
God,  together  with  their  children,  let  us  inquire  into  the 
continuation  and  consummation  of  the  covenant  under  the 
Christian  dispensation.  The  Church  and  covenants  of  God 
have  been  the  same  in  every  age,  the  promises  the  same,  the 
end  and  object  the  same."'     The  Lamb  slain  from  the  foun- 


*  Jewish  and  Christian  Church  one. — The  Jewish  and  the  Christian 
Church  were  one  stock,  or  tree ;  the  unbelieving  Jews  were  cut  off  from 
the  tree  by  reason  of  unbelief;  the  believing  Gentiles  were  grafted  into 
it,  by  reason  of  faith.  The  believing  Jews  continued  in  it,  only  laying 
aside  some  things  no  longer  required  The  firm  belief  of  the  identity  of 
the  Church  in  the  minds  of  many  of  the  Jews,  was  evident  from  their 
reluctance  to  relinquish  many  things  in  the  Jewish  dispensation,  as  cir- 
cumcision and  the  Sabbath  ;  although  they  used  baptism,  and  observed 
the  Lord's  day,  still,  for  a  long  time  many  of  them,  especially  those  in 
Jerusalem  and  Judea,  observed  circumcision  and  the  Jewish  Sabbath 
also.  We  are  told  that  even  a  number  of  the  bishops  of  Jerusalem  were 
both  circumcised  and  baptized — in  infancy,  no  doubt.  We  know  how 
much  trouble  this  subject  gave  the  Apostles ;  how  they  were  obliged  to 
yield  to  existing  prejudices,  allowing  the  Jews  to  practice  it,  though  for- 
bidding the  yoke  to  be  imposed  on  the  Gentile  converts.  Even  Timo- 
thy was  circumcised  by  St.  Paul,  because  one  of  his  parents  was  of 
Hebrew  extraction. 


27 

dation  of  the  world  for  the  sins  of  men  was  Jesus  Christ, 
who,  in  the  latter  days,  came  by  his  death  to  deliver  us  from 
our  sins.  All  who  believe  in  him,  together  with  their  chil- 
dren, are  the  children  of  the  covenant — the  promises  are  to 
them.  Though  in  one  sense  they  are  children  of  wrath, 
because  inheriting  evil  natures  which  must  be  offensive  to  a 
holy  God,  whose  nature  is  opposed  to  all  sin ;  yet,  in  another 
sense,  they  are  children  of  grace,  because  children  of  the 
promise.  As  an  earthly  father  may,  at  one  and  the  same  time, 
be  grieved  at,  and  angry  with,  a  child  of  an  evil  disposition 
and  conduct,  yet  pity  and  love  him,  and  be  doing  all  in  his 
power  to  reform  him,  that  he  may  make  him  his  heir  and 
bequeath  him  his  blessing;  so  God  may,  at  the  same  time, 
frown  upon  the  sinful  nature  and  evil  actions  of  his  covenant 
childen,  and  yet  love  them,  and  resolve  that  nothing  shall  be 
left  undone  on  his  part,  consistent  with  his  attributes  and 
their  free  agency  as  rational  beings,  to  save  them  from  their 
sins ;  thus  are  they,  at  one  and  the  same  time,  children  of 
wrath  by  nature,  and  children  of  grace  by  promise  and  God's 
tender  mercy.  Under  the  Christian,  as  under  the  Jewish 
dispensation,  all  this  is  by  a  seal  assured  to  children,  as  well 
as  adults.  As  to  Abraham,  the  promise  was  to  him  and  his 
children,  and  the  sign  put  upon  them  at  their  birth,  to  show 
that  their  interest  in  the  covenant  began  at  once.  So  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  spirit  was  so  largely  poured  out, 
it  was  again  repeated,  that  "the  promise  is  to  you  and  to  your 
children,  and  to  as  many  as  the  Lord  shall  call;"  that  is,  to 
as  many  as  shall  hear  that  sound  of  the  Gospel  which  was 
to  be  preached  through  all  the  world.  Our  Lord  had  before, 
in  the  most  touching  manner,  declared  of  little  children  that 
they  belonged  to  the  kingdom,  taking  them  in  his  very  arms 
and  blessing  them,  and  assuring  his  disciples  that  they  could 
only  enter  the  kingdom  as  little  children,  as  children  of  the 
promise,  as  objects  of  grace,  as  the  purchase  of  his  blood — 
who  could  do  nothing  to  merit  Heaven,  but  must  receive  it 
as  a  free  gift.  St.  Paul  also  tells  us,  that  even  when  one  of 
the  parents  only  was  a  believer,  that  their  children  were 
holy;  that  is,  the  children  of  promise,  to  whom  the  kingdom 
belonged,  by  right  of  the  promise  made  to  parents  and  their 
seed.     One  change  was  made  in  the  form,  though  not  in  the 


28 

substance  of  the  covenant.  The  seal,  the  public  ratification 
of  it,  was  changed  from  circumcision  to  baptism,  as  the  Pass- 
over was  changed  into  the  Lord's  Supper.  Baptism,  an  em- 
blematical mode  of  initiation  into  many  of  the  schools  and 
systems  of  the  Pagan  world,  and  which,  as  we  have  seen, 
was  used  for  the  introduction  of  Pagan  converts  into  the  Jew- 
ish church,  and  which  John  the  Baptist,  the  forerunner  of 
Christ,  used  to  prepare  his  disciples  for  Christ's  coming, 
and  to  which  Christ  himself  submitted  in  order  to  fulfil  all 
righteousness,  was  now  appointed  as  the  seal  of  the  cove- 
nant, the  public  designation  of  each  child  of  promise,  as  the 
object  of  God's  love,  the  incorporation  of  it  into  the  Church 
of  Christ;  the  fellowship  of  his  people,  called  the  body  of 
Christ.  Those  promises,  which  before  had  been  general  to 
all,  even  before  they  had  any  existence,  and  which  were 
sure  as  God's  word,  were  now  sealed  to  each  one  so  soon  as 
it  had  a  visible  existence;  for  the  Church  enjoins  that  they 
be  brought  as  soon  after  their  birth  as  is  practicable,  not  from 
any  superstitious  view  of  the  ordinance  as  indispensable  to 
salvation,  but  as  a  thing  most  natural  and  consistent,  and 
agreeable  to  God's  institution  under  the  former  dispensation. 
And  as  we  have  seen  that  the  Jews  styled  these  converts 
from  Paganism,  who  were  baptized  into  Moses,  the  regenerate, 
or  new  born,  because  they,  for  themselves  and  their  children, 
had  renounced  their  gods  and  chosen  Jehovah ;  so  it  is  be- 
lieved our  Lord,  in  allusion  to  this,  and  adopting  the  language 
in  common  use,  said  to  Nicodemus,  "except  a  man  be  born 
of  water  and  the  Spirit  he  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of  Hea- 
ven ;"  and  St.  Paul  also  calls  it,  "the  washing  of  regenera- 
tion," for  the  same  reason ;  these  terms  being  used  some- 
times as  a  substitute  for  baptism.  Those  who  were  baptized, 
were  said  to  be  baptized  not  into  Moses  but  into  Christ — to 
have  put  on  Christ — to  have  embraced  and  professed  his 
religion.  It  is  to  be  observed  that,  although  the  covenant, 
the  promises,  and  the  seal,  are  all  of  the  Lord's  appointment—- 
for  he  alone  has  the  right  to  make  them,  and  the  power  to 
execute  them — yet  the  seal  being  put  on  our  bodies,  he  must 
assent  to  it,  for  ourselves  and  children,  and  thus  it  becomes 
a  joint  act;  and  so  also  must  we  receive  the  promises  by 


29 

faith,  and  apply  them,  or  they  will  be  unavailing.  Although 
the  seal  is  only  applied  in  baptism,  yet  the  promises  were 
before  baptism.  Baptism  did  not  create  them,  did  not  first 
awaken  pity  in  the  Divine  mind,  and  induce  God  to  offer 
forgiveness  and  his  holy  spirit;  neither  did  it  first  bring  us 
in  debt  to  God,  and  put  obligations  on  us;  all  these  existed 
before,  and  were  only  set  forth  in  baptism,  so  as  to  assure 
us,  that  through  Christ's  death  neither  our  sinful  natures  nor 
actual  sins,  if  repented  of,  shall  be  our  ruin;  and  that 'the 
Holy  Ghost  which  was  promised  has  adopted  us,  and  will 
do  all  that  is  needful  in  order  to  prepare  us  for  Heaven.  To 
be  thus  assured  of  forgiveness  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  be  put 
into  the  bosom  of  the  Church  for  training,  instead  of  being 
left  to  perish  in  our  sins,  is  surely  sufficient  to  justify  the 
title  of  regenerate,  by  comparison  with  our  natural  state  of 
death.  It  is  not  necessary,  in  order  that  baptism  may  be  of 
any  avail,  that  at  the  moment  it  is  administered  a  new  soul, 
heart,  or  nature,  be  formed  within  the  child.  The  forgive- 
ness of  original  sin,  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  may 
be  granted  to  the  child  on  its  very  birth,  or  before  it,  in  its 
previous  state,  and  yet  no  moral 'change  take  place  at  the 
time  ;  just  as  an  estate  may  be  left  or  given  to  a  child,  though 
lie  cannot  use  it  at  the  time,  and  may  abuse  and  lose  it  after- 
wards. So  with  the  soul  of  fallen  man ;  the  Spirit  promised 
may  properly  be  said  to  be  given  to  it  in  its  unconscious 
state ;  and  then  as  its  faculties  and  affections  unfold,  it  may, 
through  the  word  and  other  means,  bring  the  child  to  faith 
and  repentance  ;  may,  by  an  effectual  operation,  renew  it  in 
the  spirit  of  its  mind.  The  one  is  the  estate  given,  the 
other  the  estate  used  and  enjoyed.  The  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  being  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our  minds,  are 
very  different  things — the  one  the  cause,  the  other  the  effect 
—and  should  not  be  confounded  together,  since  they  may 
not  be  identified  as  to  time  ;  and  indeed  one  may  never  take 
place,  for  we  may  always  resist  the  Holy  Spirit  until  it  be 
taken  from  us,  and  the  work  be  left  undone. 

Nor  must  we  confound  together  the  seal  with  the  cove- 
nant 'or  promised  mercies — making  the  seal  every  thing, 
and,  of  course,  indispensable  to  salvation.     A  seal  is  the 
3* 


30 

completion  of  some  instrument  which  contains  a  contractor 
promise,  and  is  sometimes,  though  not  always,  made  neces- 
sary to  the  validity  of  the  contract,  or  the  legality  of  the 
title.     The  main   point  is  the   promise.     A  man  of  truth 
will  perform  his  promise,  even  though  for  some  cause  there 
has  been  an  omission  of  the  se*al,  all  else  being  right.     And 
shall  we  suppose  that  when  God  has  made  solemn  promises 
to  believers  and  their  children,  adding  a  sign  or  token  of  the 
same,  and  requiring  it  to  be  put  upon  their  bodies,  that  if, 
through  unavoidable  necessity,  the  believer  or  the  child  dies 
without  this  mark,  though  having  all  else,  that  God  will  in 
anger  banish  them  from  his  presence,  and  shut  them  up  in 
hell  ?      Or  shall  we,  even  if  shrinking  from  this   dreadful 
supposition,  say,  that  we  judge  not,  but  leave  them  to  the  un- 
covenanted  mercies  of  Heaven,  that  we  have  no  right  to  God 
to  go  further  ?     Shall  we  thus   say,  because  the   appointed 
seal  could  not  be  applied,  the  adult  perhaps  desiring  it,  and 
the  infant  unable  even  to  desire  ?     Were  not  the  promises 
to  believers  and  their  little  ones  before  the  seal  is  applied  ? 
Is  not  that  only  a  confirmation  of  the  same,  and  a  mode  of 
publicly  applying  them  to  the  living  ?     Is  it  an  honoring  of 
God  and  his  ordinance  to  suppose,  that  he  cannot  or  will  not 
perform  his  promises,  because  a  form  that  could  not  be  ob- 
served was  wanting?     What  man  of  honor  would  not  feel 
insulted  by   such   an   insinuation   against  himself  ?      God 
appointed  the  sign  in  addition  to  his  word  and  oath,  in 
condescension  to  our  weakness  of  faith  ;   and  do  we  honor 
him  by  yielding  still  more  to  our  unbelief,  and  doubting 
whether  he  can  or  will  save  unless  the  sign  be  added,  when 
that  is  impossible,  and  all  else  is  complied  with  ?     God  de- 
clared, most  solemnly,  that  although  man  was  exceedingly 
corrupt,  he  would  no  more  deluge  the  earth ;  and,  that  he 
might  see  as  well  as  read  this  promise,  he  put  his  bow  in  the 
cloud,  and  bid  man  look  at  it,  and  not  fear  another  deluge. 
Should  any  one  contemptuously  turn  away  from  it,  and  re- 
fuse to  look,  he   may  well   suppose  that  God   would   be 
angry.  But  what  if  one  had  been  born  blind,  and  could  never 
see  it,  would  God's  anger  kindle  also  against  him?     So,  if 
any  despise  and  refuse  baptism,  he  may  well  fear,  or  rather 


31 

be  assured,  that  God  will  not  fulfil  his  promise  of  the  Spirit 
to  sanctify  him,  or  of  the  forgiveness  of  his  sins  through 
Christ.* 


*  Forgiveness  of  Sins. — We  may  err  as  much  in  making  forgiveness  de- 
pendent on  the  application  of  the  seal  of  baptism,  as  in  regard  to  its  purify- 
ing effect,  When  the  instrument  itself,  God's  word,  solemnly  promises 
it  to  believers  and  their  children,  shall  God,  the  author  of  that  instru- 
ment, make  the  forgiveness  of  original  sin  to  children — the  children  of 
promise — depend  on  the  caprice  or  inability  of  parents,  so  that  if  the 
child  dies  without  baptism,  it  shall  lose  all  that  is  promised  in  the  writing 
or  instrument?  Shall  he  make  the  forgiveness  of  original  and  actual  sin 
to  a  pious  and  believing  adult  depend  on  something  he  may  be  unable  to 
obtain  ?  Be  this  far  from  God ,  to  be  such  an  hard  taskmaster,  reaping 
where  he  has  not  sown.  If  St.  Paul  could  say  that  he  found  mercy  to 
his  persecution  and  sin,  because  he  "  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbelief,"  how 
much  more  shall  we  be  assured  that  God  will  not  refuse  mercy  to  a  true 
disciple,  because  he  could  not  comply  with  one  of  those  outward  things 
which  are  enjoined  upon  believers  in  order  "  to  fulfil  all  righteousness." 
To  doubt  this,  seems  to  cast  great  dishonor  on  our  Lord.  What  man. 
of  honor,  justice,  humanity,  would  refuse  to  fulfil  his  part  of  a  contract, 
merely  because,  from  unavoidable  necessity;  or  some  great  cause,  the. 
seal  could  not  be  put,  and  the  legal  title  completely  made  out,  when  all 
the  other  conditions  had  been  complied  with  ?  Such  a  supposition  does 
great  injustice  to  our  Lord  and  our  blessed  religion.  If  God  will  not 
fay  on  man  more  than  he  will  make  him  able  to  bear,  if  he  does  not 
reap  where  he  has  not  sown,  surely  he  will  not  be  severe  on  an  infant, 
but,  as  a  generous  creditor,  will  have  patience  until  he  pay  all ;  and, 
should  he  die  before  that  is  possible,  will  freely  forgive  him  all.  If  any 
say,  as  I  have  heard  some  say,  that  we  must  have  God's  positive  word 
for  it,  before  we  can  say  certainly  that)? even  unbaptized  infants  can  be 
saved,  might  not  the  argument  be  turned  against  them  by  those  who 
ask,  where  is  the  express  word  commanding  this  baptism?  Both  are  in- 
ferences, but  very  plain  ones,  to  the  author's  mind. 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  foregoing  views  substantiated  by  high  authorities. 

The  first  which  I  shall  adduce  is  that  of  Dean  Noell's 
catechism,  which  was  set  forth  by  authority  in  the  reign  of 
Edward  the  Sixth,  as  an  explanation  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
Church,  as  then  established.  The  next  is  that  of  the  cate- 
chism of  the  celebrated  Calvin,  whose  sentiments  on  the 
subject  of  baptism  have  been  often  quoted,  as  establishing 
the  interpretation  put  upon  those  pas-sages  in  our  catechism 
and  baptismal  services  which  relate  to  baptism.  It  will  be 
perceived  that  there  is  a  striking  resemblance  between  the 
two  as  to  the  order  observed,  the  language  used,  and  the 
views  set  forth.  If  our  own  short  catechism  be  compared 
with  both  of  them,  it  will  be  seen  clearly  that  it  is  either  an 
abridgement  of  the  same,  with  the  entire  omission  of  those 
parts  of  Calvin  which  treat  of  predestination  and  church 
government,  or  else  that  Calvin's  and  Noell's  were  only  en- 
largements of  ours. 


o' 


Extract  from  NoelVs  Catechism. 

"  Since  by  nature  we  are  the  children  of  wrath,  that  is, 
aliens  from  the  Church,  which  is  God's  family,  baptism  is  a 
kind  of  entrance  into  it,  by  which  we  are  admitted ;  whence 
we  receive  a  full  testimony  that  we  are  now  in  the  number 
of  the  sons  of  God."  "The  use  of  baptism  consists  in  faith 
and  repentance ;  for  we  should  first  be  fully  persuaded,  in 
our  own  minds,  that  we  are  purged  by  the  blood  of  Christ 
from  all  impurities,  and  are  acceptable  to  God,  and  that  his 
Spirit  dwells  in  us.  In  the  next  place,  we  must  endeavor, 
with  all  our  might,  to  mortify  the  flesh,  and  live  righteously 
in  the  sight  of  God,  and  show  to  all,  by  a  pious  conduct, 
that  we  have  put  on  Christ  at  baptism,  and  are  furnished 
with  his  Spirit.  But  that  faith  and  repentance  should  pre- 
cede baptism,  is  exacted  only  of  those  who  are  grown  up, 
whose  age  is  capable  of  both ;  but  the  promise  of  Christ  unto 


33 

the  Church,  in  whose  faith  infants  are  baptized,  is  sufficient 
for  them  for  the  present;  when  they  grow  up  they  are  bound 
to  acknowledge  the  reality  of  their  baptism,  and  to  feel  its 
power  on  their  minds,  and  to  evidence  it  by  their  lives  and 
manners."  It  then  states,  "  that  God  declared  himself  to  be 
the  father  of  the  Jewish  children,  and  admitted  them  to  cir- 
cumcision, and  that  our  Lord  declared  the  kingdom  of  Hea- 
ven belonged  to  little  children,  and  that  '  it  would  then  seem 
to  be  the  highest  injustice'  to  prohibit  their  access  into  the 
porch  whom  God  himself  designed  to  accept  into  his  heaven- 
ly palace,  and  for  men  to  exclude  them  in  a  measure  from 
the  Christian  commonwealth." 

Extraut  from  Calvin's  Catechism. 

"Baptism  is  the  appropriate  way  of  entrance  into  the 
Church.  For  in  this  we  have  the'^testimony,  that  we  who 
were  before  strangers  and  foreigners,  are  received  into  the 
family  of  God,  and  numbered  among  his  household."  "  The 
right  use  of  baptism  is  in  faith  and  repentance,  that  is,  that 
we  first  determine,  by  a  sure  confidence  of  soul,  that  we  are 
cleansed  from  all  spots  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  are  ac- 
ceptable to  God ;  then,  that  we  believe  that  his  spirit  dwells 
in  us,  and  that  we  make  this  manifest  by  our  works  among 
others;  and  also  that  we  assiduously  exercise  ourselves  in  striv- 
ing for  the  mortification  of  the  flesh,  and  obedience  to  the  will 
of  God."  As  to  the  objection,  that  these  things  are  impossible 
to  infants,  he  says :  "  They  are  not  required  of  infants  be- 
forehand ;  it  is  sufficient  if  they,  after  they  come  of  age,  pro- 
duce the  fruits  of  their  baptism ;  that  they  are  admitted  to 
baptism  for  the  same  reason  that  infants  were  admitted  to 
circumcision ;  that  it  would  be  taking  from  them  a  most  ex- 
cellent consolation,  which  the  Church  enjoyed  from  the  be- 
ginning. They  are  baptized,"  he  says,  "that  they  may 
have  the  visible  seal  that  they  are  the  heirs  of  the  blessings 
promised  to  the  seed  of  believers,  and  that,  after  they  come 
to  years  of  discretion,  the  substance  of  their  baptism  being 
acknowledged,  they  may.  from  it.  receive  and  bring  forth 
fruit." 


34 

Extract  from  Hooker. 

Hooker  speaks  of  children  being  born  within  the  bosom 
of  the  Church,  and  therefore  having  a  right  to  baptism,  which 
he  says,  "is  a  seal  perhaps  to  the  grace  of  election  before 
received."  Holding  the  doctrine  of  predestination,  he  says : 
"  Predestination  bringeth  not  to  life  without  the  grace  of  ex- 
ternal vocation,  wherein  our  baptism  is  implied.  For,  as 
we  are  not  naturally  men  without  birth,  so  neither  are  we 
Christian  men  in  the  eye  of  the  Church  of  God,  but  by  new 
birth ;  nor,  according  to  the  manifest  ordinary  course  of 
divine  dispensation,  new  born,  but  by  that  baptism,  which 
both  declareth  and  maketh  us  Christians.  In  which  respect, 
we  justly  hold  it  to  be  the  door  of  our  first  actual  entrance 
into  God's  house,  the  first  apparent  beginning  of  life,  a 
stal,  perhaps,  to  the  grace  of  election  before  received,  but 
toour  sanctification  here  a  step  which  hath  not  any  before  it." 

Although  in  the  above  passage  there  are  expressions  which 
seem  to  magnify  baptism  beyond  due  bounds,  yet  if  they  be 
well  weighed,  and  compared  together,  and  so  understood  as 
not  to  contradict  each  other,  they  will  lose  much  of  their  force. 
Although  he  says  it  is  "the  first  step  to  our  sanctification 
here,"  yet  it  must"  be  understood,  by  what  goes  before, 
"  the  first  apparent  beginning  of  life,  and  the  seal,  perhaps, 
to  the  grace  of  election  received  before." 

Mr.  Hooker  most  unequivocally  protests  against  its  being 
necessary  to  salvation,  but  maintains  that  God  often  works 
without -it.* 


*  On  the  Calvinistic  objection  to  regeneration. — There  have  always  been 
those  who  were  willing  to  apply  the  term  regeneration  to  some  children 
at  their  baptism,  whether  they  regarded  it  as  an  incipient  moral  change, 
or  only  the  adoption  of  the  child,  with  a  view  to  it ;  while  they  would 
not  apply  it  to  all  infants,  because  their  doctrinal  system  excluded  some 
infants  from  the  election  of  grace.  At  the  Savoy  conference  the  objec- 
tion, by  the  dissenting  ministers,  was  to  the  use,  in  our  service,  of  the 
term  regeneration  in  relation  to  all  baptized  children,  even  where  the 
parents  were  not  themselves  Christians.  They  said  that  it  was,  at  any 
rate,  a  disputable  point,  and  therefore  wished  it  omitted.  Some  of  the 
followers  of  St.  Austin,  if  not  St.  Austin  himself,  in  the  early  ages, 
holding  that  none  could  be  saved  without  baptism,  maintained  that 
none  of  the  elect  infants  would  be  permitted  to  die  without  being  bap- 
tized ;  so  that  the  omission  to  baptize  a  child,  from  whatever  cause,  was 
proof  that  it  was  not  one  of  the  elect. 


35 

Extract  from  Philpot,  one  of  the  early  reformers. 

"  But  the  Catholic  truth,  delivered  unto  us  by  the  Scrip- 
tures, plainly  determineth,  that  all  such  are  to  be  baptized  as 
whom  God  acknowledged  for  his  people,  and  voucheth  them 
worthy  of  sanctification  or  remission  of  their  sins;  there- 
fore, since  infants  be  in  the  number  and  scroll  of  God's 
people,  and  be  partakers  of  the  promise  by  their  purification 
in  Christ,  it  must  needs  follow  thereby,  that  they  ought  to 
be  baptized  as  well  as  those  that  can  profess  their  faith — for 
we  judge  the  people  of  God,  as  well  by  the  free  and  liberal 
promise  of  God,  as  by  the  confession  of  faith.  In  the  Gospel 
he  saith  of  infants,  (that  is,  such  as  yet  believed  not,)  '  let 
thy  little  ones  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of 
such  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.'  Again,  *  it  is  not  the  will 
of  your  Father  in  Heaven,  that  one  of  these  little  ones 
perish;'  also,  *  he  that  receiveth  one  such  little  child  in  my 
name,  receiveth  me.  Take  heed,  therefore,  that  ye  despise 
not  one  of  these  babes,  for  I  tell  you  their  angels  do  contin- 
ually see  in  Heaven  my  Father's  face.'  And  what  may  be 
said  more  plainer  than  this  ?  It  is  not  the  will  of  the 
Heavenly  Father  that  the  infants  should  perish.  Wherefore, 
we  may  gather  that  he  receiveth  them  freely  unto  this  grace, 
although  as  yet  they  confess  not  their  faith.  Since,  then,  that 
the  word  of  the  promise,  which  is  contained  in  baptism,  per- 
taineth  as  well  to  children  as  to  men,  why  should  the  sign 
of  the  promise,  which  is  baptism  in  water,  be  withdrawn 
from  children,  when  Christ  himself  commandeth  them  to  be 
received  of  us,  and  promiseth  the  reward  of  a  prophet  to 
those  that  receive  such  a  little  infant,  as  he  for  an  example 
did  put  before  his  disciples.  P.  275,  Parker  edition.  Again, 
p.  276,  the  Gospel  is  more  than  baptism.  But  children  be  re- 
ceived by  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel  and  not  refused;  there- 
fore, what  person  being  of  reason  may  deny  them  baptism, 
which  is  a  thing  lesser  than  the  Gospel.  Again,  p.  280,  in 
answer  to  the  objection,  that  they  cannot  believe,  he  says, 
"Children  are  accounted  of  Christ  in  the  Gospel  among  the 
number  of  those  who  believe,  as  it  appeareth  by  these  words: 
4  He  that  offendeth  one  of  these  little  babes,  which  belie veth 
in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  to  have  a  millstone  tied  about 


36 

his  neck,  and  to  be  cast  into  the  bottom  of  the  sea ;'  where 
plainly  Christ  calleth  such  as  be  not  able  to  confess  their 
faith  believers,  because  of  his  mere  grace  he  reputeth  them 
for  believers.  And  this  is  no  wonder  to  be  so  taken,  since 
God  imputeth  faith  for  righteousness  unto  men  that  be  of 
riper  age;  for  both  in  men  and  children,  righteousness,  ac- 
ceptation, sanctification  is  of  mere  grace,  and  by  imputa- 
tion, that  the  glory  of  God's  grace  might  be  praised.  And 
that  the  children  of  faithful  parents  are  sanctified  and  among 
such  as  do  believe,  is  apparent  from  1st  Corinthians,  7th 
chapter,  which  declareth,  '  that  they  are  holy.' "  Although 
we  may  not  be  satisfied  of  the  correctness  of  the  interpreta- 
tion put  on  all  the  passages  of  Scripture  quoted,  yet  it  is 
most  evident,  that  he  strongl)  affirms  the  views  we  have  pre- 
sented as  to  the  interest  of  children  in  the  promises  previous 
to  baptism. 

Extract  from  Bishop  Hooper,  one  of  the  martyrs. 

He  calls  a  sacrament  "the  seal  and  mark  of  acceptation 
into  God's  grace,  received  before  by  faith."  "All  sacraments 
appertain  unto  none  but  unto  such  as  first  receive  the  prom- 
ise of  God,  that  is  to  say,  remission  of  sin  in  Christ's  blood ; 
of  the  which  promise  these  sacraments  be  testimonies,  wit- 
nesses, as  the  seal  annexed  unto  the  writing  is  a  stablish- 
ment  and  making  good  of  all  things  contained  and  specified 
within  the  writing."  P.  133.  Again:  "The  ungodly  opin- 
ion which  attributeth  the  salvation  of  man  unto  the  receiving 
of  an  external  sacrament,  doth  derogate  the  mercy  of  God,  as 
though  his  Holy  Spirit  could  not  be  carried  into  the  penitent 
and  sorrowful  conscience,  unless  it  rid  always  in  a  chariot 
and  external  sacrament."  P.  131.  This  is  his  account  of 
the  sacrament  of  baptism,  p.  129.  "I,  the  minister,  by  the 
commandment  of  God,  and  in  the  place  of  Christ,  do  chris- 
ten thee,  that  is  to  say,  do  testify  by  this  external  sign,  thy 
sins  to  be  washed  away,  and  that  thou  art  reconciled  unto 
the  living  God  of  our  Mediator  Jesus  Christ."  "His  friends, 
he  by  these  means  sealeth  in  the  assurance  of  remission  of  sin, 
which  thou  hast  first  received  by  faith,  and  for  the  promise 
made  unto  thy  father  and  his  posterity.     For  the  promise  of 


37 

God,  the  remission  of  sin,  appertained  unto  the  father,  and 
also  to  the  seed  and  succession  of  the  father ;  as  it  was  said 
unto  Abraham,  'I  will  be  your  God,  and  the  God  of  your 
seed.'  It  is  ill  done,"  he  adds,  "to  condemn  the  infants  of 
Christians  that  die  without  baptism,  of  whose  salvation  we 
are  thus  assured,"  that  is,  in  the  above  promises.  P.  129. 
Another  passage,  on  p.  74,  while  it  establishes  the  same 
principle,  renders  it  probable  that  he  believed  even  in  a  moral 
change  effected  in  infants  before  baptism:  "Such  as  be  bap- 
tized must  remember,  that  penance  and  faith  preceded  this 
external  sign;  and,  in  Christ,  the  purgation  was  inwardly 
obtained  before  the  external  sign  was  given.  So  that  there 
be  two  kinds  of  baptism,  and  both  necessary:  the  one  inte- 
rior, which  is  the  cleansing  of  the  heart,  the  drawing  of  the 
Father,  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  this  baptism 
is  in  man,  when  he  believeth  and  trusteth  that  Christ  is  the 
only  author  of  his  salvation.  Thus  be  the  infants  examined 
concerning  repentance  and  faith,  before  they  be  baptized  with 
water;  at  the  contemplation  of  the  which  faith,  God  purgeth 
the  soul.  Then  is  the  exterior  sign  added,  not  to  purge  the 
heart,  but  to  confirm,  manifest,  and  open  unto  the  world,  that 
this  child  is  God's." 

The  sentiments  of  Cranmer  have  been  quoted  on  both 
sides  of  the  baptismal  controversy,  and  with  some  show  of 
truth,  as  they  may  on  other  subjects.  In  the  treatise  on  the 
sacraments,  he  reckons  absolution  as  one,  and  uses  language, 
as  to  the  power  of  the  priest  to  forgive  sins,  which  no  true 
Protestant  would  venture  now  to  use.  The  truth  is,  that  his 
writings  on  several  points  show  great  changes,  as  the  refor- 
mation progressed. 

Extracts  from   Thomas  JBecon,  chaplain  to  Archbishop 
Cranmer. 

"The  children  of  the  Jews  were  counted,  for  the  promise 
sake,  the  sons  and  heirs  of  God,  and  were  circumcised;  so 
should  the  infants  of  the  Christian  be  baptized,  as  God  is 
the  God  of  Christians  and  their  children.  God,"  he  says, 
"blessed  the  children  of  the  Jews  even  in  their  mother's 
womb,  and  gave  them  his  Holy  Spirit;  and  is  it  thought  that 
4 


38 

his  hand  is  now  shortened,  that  he  neither  can  nor  will  show 
like  merciful  kindness  to  the  children  of  Christians  ?"  The 
children  of  the  Old  Testament;  after  they  had  received  the 
Holy  Ghost,  even  in  their  mother's  womb,  were  admitted 
unto  circumcision  ;  yea,  and  that  by  commandment  of  God; 
and  shall  the  children  of  the  New  Testament  be  barred  and 
shut  out  from  baptism,  which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost, 
no  less  than  they  did  under  the  Old  Law  ?  The  best  and 
chiefest  baptism  is  given  to  the  children,  and  shall  we  deny 
them  the  inferior  and  baser  baptism."  He  adduces  the  in- 
stances of  Jeremiah  and  John  the  Baptist,  to  prove  that  chil- 
dren are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God  even  before  they  are  born* 
He  quotes  St.  Paul  as  saying,  "the  children  of  believers  are 
holy,"  and  of  our  Lord,  who  "  pronounced  them  to  belong 
unto  the  Kingdom,  and  said  their  angels  do  see  the  face  of 
the  Heavenly  Father."  Although  we  cannot  assent  to  all 
the  reasons  and  illustrations  of  the  author,  yet  he  certainly 
condemns  the  doctrine,  that  the  children  must  wait  till  their 
baptism  to  receive  any  blessing  from  God.  P.  208,  his 
Catechism,  Parker  Library.  Also  p.  216-' 17,  he  says,  "God 
does  not  save  us  for  this  outward  baptism,  but  for  his  gra- 
cious promise.  He  will  receive  the  children  of  the  Chris- 
tian to  everlasting  life,  because  they  be  members  of  his 
Church,  though  it  chance  that  they  die  without  baptism." 
"  God  by  his  grace,  for  his  merciful  promise  sake,  saved  the 
infants  of  the  Hebrews,  although  they  departed  before  the 
8th  day,  and  so  were  uncircumcised."  He  frequently  speaks, 
of  children  of  believers  as  members  of  the  Church,  as  being^ 
contained  in  the  covenant  of  grace.  "  St.  Paul  (he  says) 
called  not  circumcision  the  self-righteousness,  or  the  right- 
eous making,  but  a  seal  of  righteousness— of  the  righteous- 
ness which  Abraham  had,  yet  being  uncircumcised.  Foras- 
much, therefore,  as  baptism  is  unto  the  Christian  even  of 
the  same  effect  as  circumcision  among  the  Jews,  I  mean  not 
the  self -righteousness  or  righteous-making,  but  only  a  seal 
of  righteousness,  and  a' sign  or  token  of  God's  favor  towards 
us."  He  proceeds  again  to  affirm,  that  if  infants  die  with- 
out it,  and  even  pious  adults,  if  they  do  not  despise  and  re- 
fuse it,  they  will  be  saved.  Again,  p.  220:  "  Is  it  to  be 
thought  (he  says)  that  the  want  of  a  little  water  (which  ne^ 


39 

cessity  compelleth)  can  make  God  so  fall  from  his  truth,  and 
this  promise  to  be  both  vain  and  void,  so  that  without  the 
water  he  cannot  save  the  infants  whom  he  hath  promised 
to  save?"  "The  grace  and  Spirit  of  God  cometh  when  and 
where  it  pleaseth  God;  they  be  not  bound  to  any  external 
ceremony,  which  is  nothing  else  but  to  bring  God  into  bond- 
age of  his  creatures,  and  to  make  him  not  master  of  his  own. 
Hereof  then  we  may  learn,  that  the  sacraments  be  an  out- 
ward witness  to  all  the  congregation  of  the  grace  which  is 
given  privately  unto  every  man;  so  that  through  baptism  the 
congregation  of  God  receiveth  the  infant  into  the  Church  of 
Christ,  which  was  received  before  through  the  grace  of  his 
promise." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Views  of  our  Church  on  the  subject. 

We  have  already  said  that  diversity  of  sentiment  exists  as 
to  her  teaching  on  the  subject  of  baptism,  and  that  some 
minds  are  uneasy  concerning  certain  expressions  in  her  for- 
mularies. In  order  to  understand  them  aright,  it  is  proper 
that  we  first  carefully  read  over  and  compare  together  her 
two  baptismal  offices — the  one  for  infants,  the  other  for 
adults.  There  is  one  feature  in  them  which  at  first  sight 
must  appear  strange;  that  is,  the  almost  entire  sameness  of 
the  two,  notwithstanding  that  the  subjects  of  them  differ  so 
widely  as  to  age  and  maturity  of  character— the  one  an  un- 
conscious child,  the  other  in  full  possession  of  all  his  devel- 
oped faculties  and  affections.  Still  the  child  is  sometimes 
treated  as  a  man,  and  the  man  sometimes  prayed  for  as 
though  he  were  a  child,  and  needed  the  first  blessing  from 
God.  The  very  same  faith  and  repentance  are  required  in 
both  as  qualifications  for  baptism;  the  same  spirit  is  invoked 
and  in  the  same  words  for  both;  the  same  new  birth  is  prayed 
for  for  both;  the  same  regeneration  is  declared  to  have  been 
effected  in  both,  and  thanks  are  returned  for  it,  as  something 
certainly  received.  There  is  only  this  difference,  that 
whereas  faith  and  repentance  are  required  at  once  of  the 
adult,  time  is  allowed  to  the  child,  by  reason  of  his  tender 
age,  to  perform  this  condition.  But  then  baptism  is  not 
granted  to  the  child  without  a  solemn  promise,  made  through 
the  voice  of  another,  that  he  will  perform  it  at  the  earliest 
period  in  which  it  is  practicable.  On  that  condition  the 
Church  grants  the  privilege,  believing  that,  by  God's  bless- 
ing on  the  means  used,  the  child  will  fulfil  the  promise.  It 
is  here,  just  as  in  many  earthly  contracts,  where  certain 
property  is  sold  and  given  into  the  possession  of  another, 
on  his  solemn  promise,  either  by  word  or  writing,  that  he 
will  at  a  certain  time  pay  the  price  thereof.  If  he  does  not, 
then  the  property  is  forfeited.  As  to  this  faith  and  repen- 
tance, which  are  required  at  the  time  of  adults,  and  which 


41 

must  be  faithfully  promised  by  the  child,  I  surely  need  not 
stop  to  prove  that  the  Church,  deriving  her  view  of  them 
from  the  scriptures,  regards  them  as  the  sum  and  substance 
of  true  piety — the  Only  things  absolutely  necessary  to  salva- 
tion, being  that  great  moral  change  in  man,  that  holiness, 
without  which  no  man  can  see  the  Lord;  and  that  the  inspi- 
ration of  God's  spirit  is  indispensable  to  the  attainment  of 
them — that  they  are  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Having 
noticed  this  identity  in  the  two  services,-  and  asked  the  read- 
er's careful  study  of  them  both,  i  now  proceed  to  re- 
mark, that  the  things  contained  in  them  may  be  divided  into 
three  classes.  The  first  class  speaks  of  the  reasons  for  bap- 
tism, and  the  qualifications  for  it.  The  second,  the  particu- 
lar blessings  sought  for  in  baptism,  declared  to  be  received, 
and  for  which  thanks  are  returned.  The  third,  the  graces 
and  blessings  to  follow  after,  and  which  are  prayed  for  and 
enjoined.  As  to  the  first  class,  the  reason  for  baptism  is- 
laid  in  the  corruption  of  our  nature  and  the  command  of  God. 
The  qualifications  have  been  already  mentioned.  About  this 
first  class  there  is  no  diversity  of  sentiment ;  neither  is  there 
as  to  the  third  class,  wherein  we  pray,  both  before  and  after 
baptism,  that  all  sinful  affections  may  die  in  them,  and  all 
things  belonging  to  the  spirit  may  live  and  grow  in  them ; 
that  they  may  triumph  against  the  devil,  the  world,  and-  the 
flesh ;  that  they  may  ever  remain  in  the  number  of  faithful 
children ;  that  they  may  crucify  the  old  man,  and  utterly 
abolish  the  whole  body  of  sin ;  that  they  may  die  from  sin, 
and  daily  proceed  in  all  virtue  and  godliness  of  living,  and 
finally  come  to  everlasting  life.  These  petitions  evidently 
relate  to  the  subsequent  life,  to  progressive  sanctification;  and 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  prayed  for  to  enable  them  to  do  these 
things.  About  this  class,  also,  there  can  be  no  difference  of 
opinion,  nor  any  difficulty  whatever.  Now,  let  us  examine 
the  second  or  intermediate  class.  Before  the  baptism  of  the 
child  we  pray  thus:  "Give  thy  Holy  Spirit  to  this  infant, 
that  he  may  be  born  again,  and  made  an  heir  of  everlasting- 
salvation  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Before  the  bap- 
tism of  the  adult  we  pray  in  the  very  same  words,  that  he 
may  be  born  again,  &c.  After  the  baptism  we  say,  in  the 
:eame  words,  "seeing  this  child,  or  this  person,  is  regenerate 
4# 


42 

and  grafted  into  Christ's  Church."  We  also  thank  God  that 
it  hath  pleased  him  to  regenerate  this  infant  with  water  and 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  the  adult  has  now  been  born  again. 
Here,  then,  after  having  admitted  the  adult  to  baptism,  on 
the  supposed  reality  of  that  faith  and  repentance  which  is 
the  substance  of  true  piety — the  moral  renovation  of  our  na- 
ture by  the  spirit  of  God — and  agreed  to  accept  the  faithful 
promise  of  the  child  for  the  same,  we  pray  for  something 
entitled  regeneration,  or  a  new  birth;  we  declare  it  has  been 
given,  thank  God  for  it,  and  then  proceed  to  pray  that  God's 
Spirit  may  be  given  to  these  same  persons,  to  enable  them  to 
crucify  the  old  man,  and  finally  come  to  everlasting  life. 
Now,  the  only  thing  we  have  to  do,  is  to  find  out  what  the 
Church  actually  means  by  this  regeneration,  which  is  some- 
thing beside  faith  and  repentance,  which  were  required  be- 
forehand, and  from  subsequent  progressive  sanctification. 
The  difficulty  lies  in  ascertaining  the  meaning  of  two  scrip- 
tural words,  regeneration  and  bom  again,  which  are  evi- 
dently figurative  terms.  Has  she  explained  her  understand- 
ing of  them  in  any  other  part  of  these  services  ?  We  look 
in  vain  for  such  light.  Has  she  any  where  else  given  a  key 
to  her  understanding  of  them?  We  think  she  has,  and 
a  most  definitive  one.  Beside  these  devotional  services, 
in  which  she  has  in  scriptural  words  sought  to  honor  God's 
ordinance,  she  has  a  set  of  articles,  drawn  up  by  the  same 
persons  who  prepared  the  offices,  in  which  she  has  most 
carefully,  and  in  less  figurative  terms,  defined  her  views  of 
the  doctrines  and  the  sacraments  of  our  religion.  In  the 
27th  article,  which  is  devoted  entirely  to  baptism,  she  has 
most  explicitly  set  forth  her  belief  as  to  the  design  and  effect 
of  baptism.  Let  any  one  read  over  the  intermediate  part  of 
the  baptismal  services,  wherein  regeneration  is  prayed  for, 
and  declared  to  be  granted  as  the  effect  or  concomitant  of 
baptism,  and  then,  if  desirous  to  know  what  it  is,  read  the  fol- 
lowing article,  the  27th,  "  Baptism  is  not  only  a  sign  of  pro- 
fession, and  mark  of  difference,  whereby  Christian  men  are 
known  from  those  who  are  not  christened,  but  it  is  also 
a  sign  of  regeneration,  or  new  birth,  whereby,  as  by  an  in- 
strument, they  that  receive  baptism  rightly  are  grafted 
into  the  Church ;  the  promises  of  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  of  our 


43 

adoption  to  be  the  sons  of  God  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  visi- 
bly signed  and  sealed;  faith  is  confirmed,  and  grace  increas- 
ed, by  virtue  of  prayer  unto  God.  The  baptism  of  young 
children  is,  in  anywise,  to  be  retained  in  the  Church,  as  most 
agreeable  with  the  institution  of  Christ."  Here  we  are 
plainly  told  what  is  the  effect  of  baptism  in  the  opinion  of 
the  Church,  viz  :  that  by  it  we  are  publicly  joined  to  Christ's 
Church  or  people,  as  by  an  instrument;  that  the  promises 
of  the  forgiveness  of  sin  and  adoption  to  be  the  sons  of  God 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  visibly  signed  and  sealed,  (not  now 
for  the  first  time  given,)  but  visibly  signed  and  sealed.  The 
covenant  contained  in  God's  mind  and  word  is  now  exhibit- 
ed and  completed  by  his  mark  put  on  us,  and  our  assent  given 
to  it.  Forgiveness  through  Christ,  and  also  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  called  adoption  to  be  the  sons  of  God  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  are  sealed  and  ensured  to  us.  By  this  solemn 
act,  faith  is  confirmed  and  grace  increased,  not  by  virtue  of 
the  ordinance,  but  of  prayer  unto  God.  It  is  not  said  that 
faith  is  first  produced  in  us,  or  grace  first  given  to  us,  for 
these  are  already  supposed  to  exist  in  the  adult,  and  the  pro- 
mise of  them,  at  a  future  time,  is  accepted  of  the  child. 
When  the  article  says  that  faith  is  confirmed  and  grace  in- 
creased, it  must  be  limited  to  the  adult,  unless  the  Church 
be  supposed  to  look  forward  to  the  faith  and  grace  of  the 
child  when  come  to  years  of  discretion,  and  having  them  in- 
creased by  looking  back  with  prayer  to  this  pledge  of  God 
in  baptism.  Neither  are  there  any  words  used  in  the  article 
recognising  a  moral  change  effected,  a  new  nature  bestowed, 
the  old  man  of  sin  destroyed,  but  only  a  sign  and  seal  of 
these  promises,  and  of  a  public  engrafting  into  the  Church- 
Christ's  body.  The  article  is  a  simple  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, what  is  meant  by  that  effect  of  baptism  entitled  "rege- 
neration by  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  grafting  into  the 
body  of  Christ's  Church  ?"  I  know  that  there  are  those 
who  are  very  fearful  of  the  use  of  the  terms  new  birth  and 
regeneration  in  any  other  sense  than  as  setting  forth  the  great 
moral  change,  the  being  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our  minds, 
lest  it  should  interfere  with  that,  and  lower  the  doctrine  of 
conversion.  Nor  is  this  to  be  wondered  at,  for  many  have 
so  understood  and  used  them  as  to  do  away  entirely,  or  in  a 


44 

great  measure,  with* a  true  conversion  of  the  soul  after  bap- 
tism in  infancy.  Great  care,  therefore,  is  required  to  cor- 
rect this  erroneous  view  of  it.  While  the  fathers,  refor- 
mers, and  the  Church  in  her  homilies  and  elsewhere,  do 
certainly  use  regeneration  and  new  birth  sometimes  to  set 
forth  the  grace  of  baptism,  they  nevertheless  use  them  as 
well  as  kindred  terms,  to  express  the  great  moral  change 
which  those  experience  who,  by  the  spirit,  have  faith  and 
repentance.  Gradually  the  terms  applied  to  baptism  have 
been  almost  entirely  appropriated  to  the  moral  change,  and 
hence  the  frequent  misunderstanding  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
Church.  If  it  be  now  asked,  what  does  the  Church  mean 
by  these  promises  of  forgiveness  and  adoption,  which  are 
visibly  signed  and  sealed  to  us  in  baptism,  we  refer  to  what 
we  have  before  said  in  our  chapter  on  the  Scriptural  view  of 
the  covenant,  and  to  the  sentiments  of  the  authors  as  quoted 
in  the  third  chapter.  The  remission  of  original  sin,  through 
Christ's  death,  is  promised  to  the  children  of  the  covenant, 
and  of  both  original  and  actual  sin,  to  the  penitent  and  be- 
lieving adult ;  the  gift  of  the  Hoiy  Ghost  to  purify  our  na- 
tures, according  to  the  promises,  are  herein  visibly  sealed  to 
us;  we  are  grafted  into  the  Church,  the  body  of  Christ,  and 
thus  united  to  him.  All  that  is  necessary  for  our  souls  is 
now  ensured  to  us.  Christ's  death  has  removed  one  great 
barrier  between  us  and  Heaven.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  ready 
to  remove  all  others,  if  we  will  allow  it,  and  co-operate  with 
it.  As  God  created  all  things  by  Christ,  and  redeems  sin- 
ners by  him,  so  he  adopts  us  as  his  children  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  places  us  under  his  special  care  to  sanctify  and 
jnake  us  meet  for  Heaven.  Let  us  see  if  there  be  no  trans- 
action among  men  which  may  aptly  illustrate  this,  our  adop- 
tion by  God.  When  some  generous  man  adopts  a  poor 
child,  be  it  an  orphan  or  not,  he  becomes  its  father — he  de- 
signs and  perhaps  engages  to  make  him  his  heir,  or  to  give 
him  some  portion ;  but  it  is  on  a  specified  condition  that,  at  a 
certain  age,  he  shall  prove  worthy  of  it.  He  promises  that 
nothing  shall  be  left  undone  to  render  him  worthy  of  it, 
and  is  true  to  his  promise.  The  child  has  thus  received, 
as  it  were,  another  father— perhaps  calls  him  by  that  endear- 
ing title — it  may  be,  assumes  his  name — he  becomes  the 


45 

child  of  adoption.  And  yet  he  may  never  truly  love  that  bene- 
factor— may  disappoint  all  his  hopes — frustrate  all  his  endea- 
vors to  make  him  worthy  to  be  his  heir,  and  the  estate  may  be 
lost  to  him.  This  good  man  could  neither  alter  the  nature  of 
the  child  at  the  time  of  his  adoption,  nor  afterwards  ;  for  he 
resisted  all  his  efforts  to  that  end.  So  it  is  with  our  adop- 
tion to  be  the  sons  of  God,  whereby  we  become  children  of 
grace,  are  born  again,  taken  from  poverty,  and  wretchedness, 
and  sin.  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  had  determined  on  this  as 
to  all  who  should  be  born  in  the  bosom  of  his  Church.  As 
soon  as  they  come  into  the  world,  he  commands  them  to  be 
brought  to  him  by  the  Church,  and  have  this  certified  to  each 
one  by  a  visible  mark.  He  puts  them  in  the  care  of  the 
Church;  the  Holy  Ghost  superintends  their  nurture,  and 
aids  by  its  holy  influences.  It  is  not  indispensable  that  a 
new  nature  shall  at  once  be  put  into  them,  in  order  to  make 
them  sons  of  God  by  adoption.  This  is  to  be  the  effect  of 
that  adoption,  and  the  means  appointed  to  prepare  the  child 
for  its  inheritance.  The  Holy  Ghost  may  be  given  to  the 
child,  and  surely  belong  to  it,  and  the  moral  effect  of  it  not 
take  place  at  once,  or  at  any  future  time.  The  child  may 
always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost  until  it  is  taken  away  from 
him.  We  may  understand  what  is  meant  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
being  given,  and  yet  not  effecting  the  object  for  which  it  is 
given,  by  considering  what  is  meant  by  the  Holy  Spirit  be- 
ing taken  away  from  us.  Does  it  mean  that  God  takes  away 
from  us  a  good  nature,  changes  us  from  holy  to  unholy,  har- 
dens our  hearts,  hitherto  tender  and  loving?  No  one  for  a 
moment  supposes  this.  Nor  must  we  confound  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  with  a  view  to  our  renovation,  with  the  fact 
of  our  being  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our  minds.  The  one 
is  the  agent,  the  other  the  work  done ;  but  the  two  are  not 
always  inseparable.  "My  spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with 
man,"  says  the  Lord;  it  is  often  most  unsuccessful.* 

*"  Our  adoption  to  be  the  sons  of  God  by  the  Holy' Ghost." — This  phrase 
is  worthy  of  particular  notice.  No  one  can  read  the  New  Testament 
without  perceiving  that  ours  is  peculiarly  the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit. 
Though  the  Spirit  was  always  in  the  world,  striving  with  man  ;  though 
the  Jews  are  charged  with  having  always  resisted  the  Holy  Ghost,  yet 
still  so  much  more  abundantly  was  he  poured  out  upon  the  Church  of 


46 

Understanding  the  meaning  of  regeneration,  as  the  27th 
article  explains  it,  who  can  object  to  its  use,  except  on  ac- 
count of  its  liability  to  be  misunderstood  ?  The  very  ves- 
sels of  the  sanctuary  were  called  holy,  sanctified,  clean, 
because  set  apart  for  sacred  purposes,  though  no  change  in 
their  substance  took  place.  Children  were  called  holy,  be- 
cause born  of  believing  parents  ;  and  why  not  baptized  per- 
sons be  called  regenerate,  for  the  reasons  above  mentioned, 
without  supposing  or  affirming  a  moral  change.  But  if  we 
go  beyond  this,  and  affirm  that  a  new  nature  is  put  into  the 


Christ,  that  our  Saviour  says  he  must  needs  ascend  to  Heaven  to  send 
him  down  to  carry  on  the  work  which  he  had  begun,  and  thenceforth 
take  special  charge  of  the  redeemed.  This  accounts  for  what  some  dis- 
ciples, of  .whom  we  read  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  said  of  their  never 
having  heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost,  although  they  had 
doubtless,  under  his  influence,  been  led  to  embrace  Christianity.  They 
had  never  heard  of  such  wonderful  gifts  as  those  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
now  so  freely  poured  out  upon  the  Church.  Divers  were  the  gifts  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  He  appointed  overseers  to  the  churches ;  he  sepa- 
rated Barnabas  and  Saul  to  their  work.  It  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  rather 
than  the  Father  or  the  Son,  who  speaks  after  Christ's  ascent,  as  may  be 
seen  throughout  the  Acts  and  Epistles.  The  whole  Church,  and  of 
-course  each  member,  is  under  his  special  care.     He  adopts  each  child 

"S.S  his  own,  and  watches  over  it,  and  strives  with  it,  for  its  xenewal   and 

salvation.  Baptism,  according  to  our  article,  is  a  visible  sign  and  seal 
of  "this  our  adoption  to  be  the  sons  of  God  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  The 
faith  and  grace  of  the  adult  is  confirmed  and  increased  by  this  sign,  if 
the  virtue  of  prayer  be  faithfully  used.  And  if  the  infant,  when  com- 
ing to  years  of  discretion,  shall  believe  and  repent,  his  faith  and  grace 
shall  be  confirmed  and  increased  by  thinking  on  his  baptism,  with  prayer 
for  the  divine  blessing.  Thus  may  we  be  truly  said  to  be  born  again, 
not  of  water  only,  but  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  adopts  us,  takes  us 
away,  as  it  were,  from  our  earthly  parents,  and  puts  us  into  the  family 
which  he  has  charge  of.  In  other  places  our  Church  recognises  this 
special  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  the  ordination  of  ministers  it  is 
required  that  they  be  moved  to  take  upon  themselves  the  holy  office,  by 
the  Holy  Ghost;  and,  in  the  conferring  of  the  office  of  priesthood,  one 
of  the  forms  allowed  to  be  used  by  the  Bishop  runs  thus  :  "  Receive  the 
Holy  Ghost  for  the  office  of  a  priest  in  the  Church  of  God,  now  com- 
mitted unto  thee  by  the  imposition  of  our  hands."  At  first  sight  and 
sound  these  words  would  seem  to  declare  that  the  Bishop  actually  con- 
ferred such  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  priest  needed  in  his  of- 
fice, but  a  more  particular  attention  to  the  peculiar  phraseology  would 
of  itself  lead  a  careful  observer  to  question  this.  The  meaning,  how- 
ever, is  placed  beyond  all  doubt,  by  the  other  form  immediately  follow- 
ing, and  which  was  doubtless  introduced  in  order  to  remove  the  objec- 


47 

child  at  the  moment  and  in  the  act  of  baptism,  we  involve 
ourselves  in  inextricable  difficulties.  Well  may  we  hesitate 
to  use  these  words,  if  such  be  their  only  meaning.  Unless 
there  was  some  plain  and  positive  assurance  in  God's  Word 
that  such  an  effect  is  produced  in  every  child  or  adult  at  the 
moment  of  baptism,  and  at  no  time  before  or  after,  as  some 
affirm,  would  the  Church  feel  justified  in  requiring  her  min- 
isters and  members  thus  positively  to  affirm  it,  and  thank 
God  for  the  blessing,  and  bid  sponsors  cherish  the  gift  ever 
after?  Would  she  do  this,  when  no  proof  can  possibly  be 
afforded  at  the  time  ;  and  when,  even  if  there  should  be  art 


tions;  which  latter  form  is,  I  believe,  always  used.  It  runs  thus: 
"  Take  thou  authority  to  execute  the  office  of  a  priest  in  the  Church  of 
God."  From  which  it  seems  ,that  the  gift  of  office,  the  authority  to> 
minister  in  holy  things,  is  meant  by  "receive  the  Holy  Ghost  for  the 
office  of  a  priest."  Such  is  the  explanation  of  it  given  by  Hooker, 
Bishop  Hobart  had  occasion  to  defend  our  Church  against  an  attack  on 
this  point,  wherein  it  was  declared  that  she  was  guilty  of  something  ab- 
surd, and  little  short  of  blasphemy.  In  a  charge  to  his  clergy,  in  1815, 
he  quotes  the  following  passage  from  Hooker,  as  expressive  of  his  own 
and  the  Church's  view  of  the  subject :  "  A  thing  much  stumbled  at,  in 
the  manner  of  giving  orders,  is  the  using  the  memorable  words  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Christ,  'receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.'  The  Holy 
Ghost,  say  they,  we  cannot  give,  and  therefore  we  foolishly  bid  men 
receive  it.  He  says  that  "  the  Holy  Ghost  may  be  used  to  signify  not 
the  person  alone,  but  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  we  know 
that  spiritual  gifts  are  not  only  abilities  to  do  things  miraculous,  as  to 
speak  with  tongues  that  were  never  taught  us,  to  cure  diseases  without 
art,  and  such  like  ;  but  also  that  the  very  power  and  authority  which  is 
given  men  in  the  Church  to  minister  in  holy  things — this  is  contained  in 
the  number  of  those  gifts  whereof  the  Holy  Ghost  is  author;  and  there- 
fore he  which  giveth  tins  power  may  say,  without  absurdity  or  folly, 
receive  the  Holy  Ghost,  (that  is)  such  power  as  the  Spirit  hath  en- 
dowed the  Church  withal,  such  power  as  neither  prince  nor  potentate,, 
king  nor  Caesar,  on  earth  can  give."  If  such  be  the  true  interpretation 
of  the  Church's  meaning  in  this  place,  may  we  not,  also,  when  she,  at 
the  command  of  Christ,  and  under  the  superintendence  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  brings  children  to  baptism,  admits  them  into  her  society — the 
body  of  Christ — puts  on  them  the  seal  of  God's  promises  of  forgive- 
ness and  adoption  as  his  sons  ;  thus  giving  them  a  full  title  to  the  bless- 
ings of  the  covenant,  then  say  that  they  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost, 
or  been  born  of  it,  although  she  cannot  know  what,  or  that  any,  reno- 
vating influence  has  been  exerted  over  their  souls  at  the  time  The 
priest  has  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  is,  the  great  honor,  privilege, 
authority  to  minister,  although  perhaps,  at  the  time,  he  had  not  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  its  higher  sense,  and  never  may  admit  it  into  his  heart*. 


48 

early  exhibition  of  piety,  it  would  be  impossible  to  say  that 
it  proceeded  from  the  supposed  grace  of  baptism,  or  subse- 
quent operation  of  the  Spirit  ?  It  is  said,  that  though  there 
be  never  any  evidences  of  it,  yet  we  ought  not  to  doubt  the 
fact,  that  the  children  may  have  soon  lost  it — that  even  Cy- 
mon  Magus  was  probably  renewed  in  heart,  but  fell  away 
and  became  reprobate  immediately.  But  is  there  not  some- 
thing most  distressing  in  the  thought,  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
should  at  baptism  put  a  new  heart  into  the  unconscious 
child,  and  though  undertaking  to  watch  over  it,  when  nei- 
ther parents  nor  friends  should  be  able  to  do  any  thing  for 
its  preservation,  nor  the  child  be  able  to  cry  for  help,  yet 
permit  the  devil  at  once  to  come  and  take  it  away  ?  And  if 
there  be  this  new  nature  among  the  promises  of  the  covenant 
to  children,  does  it  not  seem  strange  that  God  should  so 
trammel  himself  as  to  be  hindered  from  bestowing  it  on 
children  until  the  caprice,  or  delay,  or  indolence  of  parents, 
which  often  puts  off  baptism  for  years,  should  allow  him  to 
bless  one  of  the  children  of  promise  ?  As  to  the  argument 
in  favor  of  this  great  blessing,  this  spiritual  change,  which, 
it  is  thought,  he  has  confined  to  baptism,  that  we  ought  to 
have  faith  in  God,  with  whom  nothing  is  impossible,  that 
faith  is  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen  ;  I  have  only  to  say, 
that  we  are  indeed  bound  to  believe  all  that  God  has  said 
and  done,  but  are  not  called  on  to  believe  what  he  has 
not  said,  and  that  of  which  there  is  no  evidence  that  he  hath 
done  it.  As  we  must  not  believe  less  than  God  has  revealed, 
so  must  we  not  believe  more.  The  latter  has  filled  the 
Church  of  God  with  superstition  and  corruption  in  ages 
past.  Let  it  also  be  remembered,  that  if,  on  the  authority  of 
those  words  in  our  service,  we  must  believe  this  moral 
change  in  infants,  we  must  believe  the  very  same  of  all 
adults,  for  the  same  change  is  ascribed  in  the  very  same 
words  to  adults  and  infants.  Now  adults  are  capable  of 
testing  it  by  their  own  consciousness.  If  there  be  some 
great  moral  change  different  from  that  contained  in  faithand 
repentance,  which  gifts  they  had  before  baptism,  surely 
adults,  coming  to  baptism  prepared  to  expect  some  mighty 
operation  of  the  Spirit,  anxiously  looking  for  it  at  the  very 
time  the  water  was  applied,  could  not  fail  to  be  sensible  of 


49 

the  effect  in  their  souls.  Now,  is  this  the  testimony  of  the 
thousands  of  pious  believers,  who  are  continually  coming  to 
the  baptismal  font  ?  But  let  the  view  taken  of  it  in  the  27th 
article  be  received,  and  all  is  reasonable  and  agreeable  to  the 
experience  of  the  pious  candidates.  When  they  come  with 
faith  and  grace  in  their  hearts,  in  obedience  to  the  divine 
command,  then  that  very  faith  and  grace  with  which  they 
come  is  confirmed  and  increased.  The  sacrament  is  an  ef- 
fectual sign  and  witness  by  which  God  worketh  invisibly  in 
them,  and  they  are  hereby  certified  of  God's  love,  and,  being 
engrafted  into  his  Church,  thus  receive  the  fulness  of  his 
grace — the  title  complete  ;  they  are  thus  born  of  water,  as 
well  as  of  the  Spirit.  In  relation  to  young  ones  baptized 
when  a  few  years  of  age,  might  we  not  look  for  very  striking 
and  immediate  evidences  of  this  great  moral  change  ?  It  is 
said  that  as  adult  converts  often  fall  away  from  grace  received, 
so  children  may,  and  do,  fall  away  from  baptismal  holiness. 
But  let  us  suppose  that  adult  converts  did  as  generally  and 
greatly  fall  away,  gave  as  little  evidence  of  piety,  the  result 
of  conversion,  as  children  do  of  their  supposed  baptismal 
change,  who  would  place  confidence  in  the  doctrine  of  con- 
version ?  There  is  also  this  difference  between  them,  that 
adults  are  conscious  both  of  the  reception  and  the  loss  of 
God's  grace,  and  can  testify  of  it,  while  children  cannot. 

If  the  Church  had,  in  the  words  whose  meaning  we  have 
been  considering,  intended  to  set  forth  a  moral  renovation, 
surely  she  would  have  used  language  which  could  not  thus 
have  been  misunderstood.  Why  did  she  not  thank  God 
that  our  hearts  had  been  changed — our  spirits  renewed — the 
old  man  crucified — the  new  man  raised  up  in  him?  There 
would  have  been  then  no  doubt  of  her  meaning.  These 
things  she  prays  for,  and  bids  the  baptized  seek  more  and 
more,  but  she  does  not  thank  God  that  they  have  been  grant- 
ed. Moreover,  in  the  catechism,  she  says,  baptism  is  a 
means  of  receiving  this  grace,  and  a  pledge  to  assure  us 
thereof.  Now,  if  we  have  received  these  new  hearts,  we 
have  the  very  thing  itself,  and  need  no  pledge  to  assure  us 
of  it ;  but  if  the  assistances  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  conditional 
forgiveness  of  sin,  and  title  to  Heaven,  be  meant,  then  we 
need  a  pledge  to  assure  us  that  they  will  be  given.  On  a 
5 


50 

•careful  examination  of  this  subject,  we  can  find  no  other  con- 
sistent explanation  than  that  furnished  by  our  27th  article, 
and  others  alluding  to  it.  We  are  aware  that  it  is  said  by 
some  that  our  articles  were  designed  for  the  clergy,  and  are 
more  obscurely  worded  than  the  offices.  As  to  the  latter 
assertion,  viz.,  that  they  are  more  obscurely  worded,  we 
take  the  very  contrary  to  be  .the  fact.  They  were  not  in- 
tended for  devotional  purposes,  but  to  explain  the  doctrines 
of  the  Church,  as  contained  in  her  services,  and  serve  as 
protests  against  any  Romish  interpretations  of  those  services. 
As  to  the  former,  if  they  were  designed  for  the  clergy,  it  was  to 
assist  them  to  explain  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  to  the  peo- 
ple, and,  as  such,  we  have  used  them.  If  it  be  objected  to  the 
view  which  we  have  taken  of  baptism,  which  supposes 
God's  grace  of  adoption  to  precede  baptism  even  in  infants,, 
that  it  represents  the  church  as  thanking  God  for  their 
regeneration  in  baptism,  when  they  had  been  regenerated 
before,  we  reply,  that,  as  it  \s  not  folly  but  truth  to  say, 
that  we  exist,  and  for  months,  before  we  are  born  into  this 
world,  so  it  is  not  folly  but  truth  to  say,  that  we  are  loved 
and  adopted  of  God  before  baptism ;  but  are  then,  according 
to  the  article,  publicly  sealed  and  marked  as  the  sons  of 
God,  our  title  to  the  promises  fully  made  out,  and  we  en- 
rolled among  his  people  ;  and  this  according  to  God's  own 
command. 

But  now  it  may  be  asked  whether,  beside  these  interesting 
circumstances  belonging  to  baptism,  and  this  grafting  into  the 
Church,  and  sealing  of  the  promises,  in  which  all  must  agree,, 
there  is  not  some  other  special  blessing  which  hovers  over 
the  baptismal  font,  and  enters  into  the  soul  of  the  child ► 
When  the  child  is  sealed  as  the  adopted  one  of  God,  is  there 
no  incipient  act  of  the  Spirit,  making  a  first  impression  on 
the  soul — no  beginning  of  the  work  of  sanctification — no 
seed  deposited — no  germ  implanted,  which  are  to  be  fostered 
and  increased  by  successive  operations,  and  aided  by  a  pious 
education  ?  Some  pious  and  learned  divines  have  thus  ex- 
pressed themselves,  modestly  and  doubtingly  of  course,  for 
it  must  of  necessity  be  conjecture  and  hope,  nothing  more. 
The  author  would  respectfully  submit  to  his  readers,  whe- 
ther there  be  not  this  serious  objection  to  all  such  specula- 


51 

tions,  that  they  are  on  a  subject  which  God  has  placed  be- 
yond the  range  of  the  human  mind.  What  passes  in  the 
soul  of  an  infant,  cannot  be  ascertained  by  any  discovery  re- 
vealed to  us,  or  made  by  the  mind  of  man.  What  God  can 
do,  or  may  do,  is  not  told  to  us.  Secret  things  belong  to  the 
Lord.  Here,  I  humbly  conceive,  is  the  source  of  more  dis- 
putation in  the  Church  of  God,  than  any  other  whatever.  At- 
tempting to  be  wise  above  what  is  written,  reaching  at  things 
too  high  for  us,  thinking  that  we  see  clearly  what  is  only  dimly 
seen,  as  through  a  glass  darkly,  we  run  into  much  error.  And 
how  often  is  it  the  case,  that  men  are  positive,  dogmatic,  and 
anathematizing,  in  proportion  as  the  subjects  are  but  faintly  al- 
luded to  in  Scripture,  and  are  in  themselves  dark  and  difficult. 
Witness  the  disputes  about  the  Divine  decrees.  Witness  this 
discussion  as  to  what  takes  place  in  the  soul  of  the  child,  at 
the  moment  and  through  the  act  of  baptism.  And  what 
have  the  Scriptures  revealed  to  us  on  the  subject  ?  What  a 
silence  is  there  as  to  the  condition  of  infant  souls,  from  their 
birth  until  they  become  responsible  beings  ?  If  men  undertake 
to  speak  much  and  positively  where  God  is  silent,  will  there 
not  be  in  the  multitude  of  their  words  much  folly?  What 
follies  have  not  been  broached  on  this  subject.  How  their 
speculations  as  to  infant  souls  have  been  adapted  to  their  dif- 
ferent systems  of  religion.  Some  have  supposed  them  anni- 
hilated. Others  have  invented  some  middle  region  for  the 
half  sanctified,  half  unsanctified  souls.  Some  have  sup- 
posed that  it  was  absolutely  necessary  that  a  beginning  be 
made  in  baptism,  or  else  it  could  not  be  carried  on — that 
there  would  be  no  foundation  to  build  upon — nothing  to  cul- 
tivate— as  if  the  faculties  and  affections  of  our  nature  were 
not  still  left  us,  though  corrupted,  on  which  to  act;  and  as 
if  the  gpirit  of  God  could  not  begin  its  work  either  before 
orafter  baptism.  If  there  is  force  in  this  objection,  thenit 
operates  against  the  conversion  of  any  adults  who  have  not 
been  baptized  in  infancy,  except  we  receive  them  to  baptism 
without  faith  and  penitence,  that  the  seed  may  be  deposited. 
But  our  chief  objection  to  the  adoption  of  this  theory, 
and  laying  it  at  the  foundation  of  a  system,  is  drawn  from 
sad  historical  experience.  When  once  we  assume  the  prin- 
ciple, that  there  is,  and  must  be,  some  actual  effect  produced 


52 

on  the  soul  of  the  child  at  baptism,  no  bounds  will  be  set  to 
conjecture  and  superstitious  belief.  He  who  ascribes  most 
virtue  to  it,  will  have  most  faith — will  most  honor  the  ordi- 
nance of  God  ;  and  all  will  vie  with  each  other  in  their 
praises  of  it.  The  history  of  some  of  the  early  ages,  and 
of  the  Church  of  Rome,  abundantly  testify  to  this.  No  vice 
of  the  soul,  no  disease  of  the  body,  no  demoniacal  posses- 
sion, no  evil  that  afflicted  humanity,  but  might  in  the  opi- 
nion of  some  be  exorcised  by  the  sacrament  of  baptism. 
These  things  should  make  us  hesitate,  before  we  adopt  as  a 
certain  truth,  what  is  no  where  revealed,  and  what  is  so  lia- 
ble to  perversion.  On  this  subject,  I  think  our  Church  has 
acted  wisely.  She  has  •  indeed  said  that  there  are  some 
things  which  by  nature  we  cannot  have — that  by  reason  of 
their  tender  age,  children  cannot  have  faith  and  repentance, 
for  God  has  not  formed  them  so  as  to  be  capable  of  these 
things.  Those  who  evade  this  by  saying,  that  the  first 
principles  and  beginning  of  faith  are  implanted  in  baptism, 
are  at  variance  with  her  teachings.  She  does  not  allow 
them  to  be  attainable  until  a  later  period.  While  she  thus 
affirms  that  the  infant  mind  is  incapable  of  these  things,  she 
most  carefully  avoids  any  thing  which  should  even  seem  to 
exclude  the  Spirit  of  God  from  an  early  operation,  through 
the  truth,  on  the  youthful  mind.  She  enjoins  it  on  all  con- 
cerned with  the  children  to  instruct  them  in  the  nature  of 
our  holy  religion,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  their  own  sinful 
state.  As  their  faculties  and  affections  open,  we  may  rea- 
sonably expect  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  is  ever  at  hand, 
will  seek  to  influence  them  aright.  We  do  often  per- 
ceive very  early  indications  of  a  state  of  mind  so  much 
like  that  of  the  pious  convert  at  a  later  period,  that  we  are 
fully  justified  in  ascribing  it  to  the  same  heavenly  influence. 
Beyond  this,  the  history  of  God's  church  proves,  that  it  is 
dangerous  to  go.  Whenever  we  take  it  for  granted,  as  a 
certain  fact,  that  at  baptism,  a  great  purification  of  the  na- 
ture takes  place,  the  inevitable  result  has  been,  and  will  be, 
the  supposition  that  but  little  remains  to  be  done.  The 
more  of  the  old  man  is  destroyed  in  baptism,  the  less  re- 
mains to  be  destroyed;  the  more  of  the  new  man  is  raised 
up,  the  less  remains  to  be  raised  up.     This  will  be  seen  in 


53 

the  following  chapter,  where  we  shall  exhibit  some  of  the 
-extravagancies  into  which  the  principle  has  led,  and  com- 
pare them  with  the  excellence  of  what  we  conceive  to  be 
the  system  of  the  Bible  and  the  Church. 


5* 


CHAPTER  V. 

On  the  errors  and  extravagancies  into  which  the  positive 
belief  and  assertion  of  a  moral  change  in  baptism  has 
led.  A  comparative  view  of  it  with  the  system  set  forth 
by  the  Episcopal  Church. 

However  this  doctrine  may  appear  to  some  to  be  a  harm- 
less hypothesis,  at  least  one  which  seems  to  honor  God's 
ordinance  and  prevent  its  being  a  vain  ceremony,  and  that 
therefore  it  should  not  be  condemned,  unless  positively  de- 
nounced in  the  Scriptures,  we  ought  to  remember  that  there 
is  a  solemn  anathema  against  those  who  add  to  God's  word. 
We  must  not  teach  for  commandments  of  God  the  doctrines 
of  men.  Nor  must  we  insist  on  that  which  after  all  may  be 
but  conjecture.  This  hypothesis  has  with  some,  in  all  ages 
of  the  Christian  church,  grown  into  a  positive  certainty,  and, 
after  having  been  enlarged  to  a  most  marvellous  degree,  been 
made  the  groundwork  of  a  religious  system,  which  so  chang- 
ed the  blessed  religion  of  Christ  as  to  require  a  tremendous 
revolution  to  overthrow  it,  and  therefore  ought  to  be  watch- 
ed and  dreaded  in  its  first  symptoms  of  resuscitation.  Let 
us  trace  its  history. 

St.  Cyprian,  one  of  the  early  Fathers,  speaks  of  being 
"  succoured  by  the  life-giving  waters — having  the  stain  of 
former  years  washed  away  in  them — being  quickened  into  a 
new  life  in  them — putting  off  his  natural  self — being  chang- 
ed in  heart  and  soul."  St.  Ambrose  says  "  that  children  in 
baptism  are  reformed  back  to  Adam's  state  of  purity."  Ter- 
tullian,  answering  those  who  objected  to  ascribing  so  mar- 
vellous a  power  to  the  water  of  baptism,  says :  "Its  very 
marvellousness  should  be  our  reason  for  believing  it."  After 
speaking  of  the  various  uses  God  has  made  of  water,  and  the 
reverence  due  to  it,  he  says :  "no  wonder,  then,  in  baptism 
it  has  the  gift  of  quickening."  This  principle,  that  God 
could  and  did,  by  natural  things  in  the  sacraments,  operate  a 


m 

moral  effect  through  the  body  on  the  soul  even  of  an  infant, 
was  carried  to  such  an  extent  that  it  led  to  the  administration 
of  the  rite  of  confirmation  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  not  only 
to  children,  but  to  insensible  persons  in  the  article  of  death. 
Bishop  Jewell  says,  that  St.  Bennett  caused  the  sacrament 
to  be  laid  on  a  dead  woman's  breast,  thinking  that  the  out- 
ward ceremony  thereof  without  faith,  or  the  inward  motion 
of  the  party,  might  be  sufficient  for  good.     In  one  of  the  an- 
cient churches  a  canon  was  necessary  to  prevent  administer- 
ing baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  to  dead  corpses.     It  was 
required  in  some  places  that  for  every  baptism  fresh  water 
must  be  put  into  the  font,  because  that  used  was  defiled  by 
the  original  sin  of  the   child  previously  baptized  therein. 
Some  had  such  confidence   in  its  effect  to  wash  away  sin, 
that  they  put  off  their   baptism  till  the  hour  of  death,  that 
there  might  be  the  least  possible  danger  of  losing  the  effect 
of  it,  which  they  thought  could  scarcely  be  regained.  Many 
thought  it  a  dishonoring  of  God  to  suppose  that  a  child  could 
possibly  be  saved  without  it,  and  therefore  encouraged  the 
performance  of  it  by  any  one  at  the  very  moment  of  its  birth, 
if  there  was  the  least  danger  of  death.     Others  there  were, 
and  those  not  a  few — perhaps  the  whole  Greek  church — who 
believed  that  unbaptized  infants  go  neither  to  Heaven  or  hell, 
but  to  some  middle  place.     There  were  connected  with  the 
rite  of  baptism  a  number  of  imposing  ceremonies,  such  as 
the  use  of  oil,  salt,  candles,  the   white  robe,  the  exorcism, 
all  designed  to  magnify  the  ordinance  in  the  esteem  of  men. 
The  Romish  church  makes  great  use  of  them  in  order  to  en- 
force her  high  views  of  the  ordinance,  which  she  declares  to 
be  necessary  to  salvation — not  generally  necessary  to  salva- 
tion, as  our  Church  does.     She  declares  that  it  confers  grace 
by  its  own  power  (ex  opere  operato)  on  all  who  only  place 
no  obstacle  in  its  way.     Children  of  course  can  put  no  obsta- 
cle in  its  way,  and  are  therefore  fully  operated  on.    The  child 
is,  according  to  many  of  their  writers,  made  by  baptism  just 
what  Adam  was  before  the  fall,  pure,  holy.     If  he  retains 
this  state,  it  is  his  justifying  righteousness  ;  if  he  loses  it, 
with  great  difficulty,  if  ever,  can  it  be  regained.     There  are, 
however,  very  many  venial  sins  which  he  may  commit  with- 
out losing  baptismal  grace,  and  which  Adam  might  have  com- 


56 

mitted  without  forfeiting  God's  favor.  Against  such  views  of 
the  effect  of  baptism,  and  the  justification  connected  with  it, 
our  Reformers  strongly  protested.* 

Nevertheless,  the  removal  from  our  baptismal  service  of 
the  corrupt  appendages  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  which 
were  designed  to  promote  the  belief  of  an  entire  change  of 
nature  in  baptism,  was  gradual.  In  the  baptismal  services 
which  were  adopted  in  the  reign  of  King  Edward,  there  were 
two  ceremonies  retained,  which  were  afterwards  left  out, 
viz:  the  ceremony  of  exorcism  and  the  white  garment.  By 
the  former,  the  minister  authoritatively  commands  the  un- 
clean spirit  to  depart  from  these  infants,  and  prepare  to  burn 
in  everlasting  fire.  "Presume  not  hereafter  to  exercise  any 
tyranny  towards  these  infants,  whom  Christ  has  purchased 
with  his  precious  blood,  and  by  this  his  baptism  calleth  to  be 
of  his  flock,"  are  some  of  its  words.  In  the  latter,  a  white 
vesture  is  put  upon  it,  and  these  words  addressed  to  it — 
"Take  this  white  vesture,  for  a  token  of  the  innocency  which 
by  God's  grace  in  this  holy  sacrament  is  given  unto  thee  ; 
and  for  a  sign  whereby  thou  art  admonished,  so  long  as  thou 


*Wall,  in  his  learned  work  on  infant  baptism,  in  which  we  have  a  full 
history  of  the  opinions  which  in  different  ages  have  been  held  as  to  its 
efficacy,  says,  that  a  divine  of  the  Church  of  Rome  has  outdone  all,  "for 
he  supposes  the  child  at  the  time  of  his  baptism  to  have  one  strong  actu- 
al motion  of  love  to  God.  One  single  instant,  he  says,  is  sufficient  for 
the  exercise  of  that  act  of  love.  Concupiscence  is  as  it  were  mortified 
in  that  one  moment.  It  should  not  be  thought  strange  that  children 
should  love  God  with  a  love  of  choice  at  their  baptism."  Mr.  Wall 
quotes  "very  aptly  against  him  one  of  his  own  sayings — "That  learned 
men  are  sometimes  most  subject  to  error,  and  to  lead  others  into  error  ; 
that  common  people  are  not  so  apt  to  fall  into  great  mistakes  for  various 
reasons" — to  which  Mr.  Wall  adds  another,  viz  :  "That  common  peo- 

Ele,  having  no  assistance  from  learning  and  philosophy,  have  nothing 
ut  common  sense  to  trust  to  ;  so  they  generally  keep  close  to  that." 
The  above  is  the  best  excuse  for  the  errors  of  the  new  school  which  has 
risen  up.  The  sentiment  of  St.  Austin,  as  quoted  by  Wall,  may  also  be 
applied  to  such — "if  we  should  go  about  by  discourse  to  prove  that  in- 
fants, which  as  yet  have  no  knowledge  of  human  things,  have  knowledge 
of  divine,  I  am  afraid  we  should  offer  an  affront  to  our  senses,  when,  let 
us  say  what  we  will,  the  evidence  of  truth  overpowers  all  the  force  of 
our  talk."  St.  Austin  (says  Wall)  does  not  pretend  that  infants,  who 
are  baptized,  have  in  any  proper  sense  faith,  or  repentance,  or  conver- 
sion of  the  heart. 


57 

livest,  to  give  thyself  to  innocency  of  living,  that  after  this 
transitory  life  thou  mayest  be  partaker  of  the  life  everlasting." 
See  King  Edward's  Liturgies,  Parker  edition.  After  a  cer- 
tain period,  under  the  auspices  of  Archbishop  Laud  and  oth- 
ers, there  seemed  to  be  a  return  to  some  of  these  high  views; 
so  that  at  the  time  of  the  Savoy  conference,  in  the  reign  of 
James  the  Second,  what  with  the  remaining  influence  of 
Laudian  principles  and  hostility  to  the  dissenters,  whose  ob- 
jections to  the  Liturgy  were  in  some  things  very  trivial  and 
provoking,  we  find  the  Bishops,  and  others  acting  with  them, 
countenancing  the  idea  "that  only  some  relics  of  sin  remained 
after  baptism;"  and  that,  "notwithstanding  some  frailties 
and  slips  of  their  childhood,  they  may  not  have  totally  lost 
what  was  given  to  them  in  baptism,"  using  a  language  very 
apt  to  mislead  in  forming  our  estimate  of  the  true  condition 
of  children,  although  there  may  not  be  a  positive  assertion 
of  a  radical  change  of  nature  in  baptism.  See  Cardwell's 
History  of  the  Conferences  on  the  Common  Prayer. 

If  it  now  be  asked — why  thus  dwell  on  doctrines  re- 
nounced long  since  at  the  Reformation,  and  of  whose  return 
there  can  surely  be  no  danger  ?  We  reply,  that  a  few  years 
since,  and  we  should  have  seen  no  sufficient  reason  for  so 
doing  ;  but  unhappily  there  is  now  but  too  much  cause  for  it. 
These  doctrines  are  again  revived  in  full  force  by  some,  and 
with  modifications  by  many  others  in  our  Protestant  church. 
Books,  tracts,  and  sermons,  advocating  them,  have  for  the 
last  twelve  years  been  industriously  circulated  amongst  us. 
In  some  of  them  the  principle  is  maintained  that  it  is  most 
natural  that  God  should  choose  to  dispense  his  grace  through 
the  material  emblems  of  the  sacraments,  rather  than  through 
the  faculties  and  affections  of  the  soul  exercised  in  faith  and 
repentance  ;  that  in  truth  faith  and  repentance  derive  their  vir- 
virtue  from  one  of  them,  (baptism,)  and  deserve  not  the  name  be- 
forehand. One  of  them  declares  that  "a  miracle  is  performed 
in  every  baptism."  Another  of  them*  says,  "  no  change  of 
the  heart  or  of  the  affections,  no  repentance  however  radical, 
no  faith,  no  love,  come  up  to  this  idea  of  a  new  birth  from 
above.     It  takes  them  all  in  and  comprehends  them  all,  but 

*  Dr.  Pusey. 


58 

itself  is  more  than  all."  "As  the  child  is  created  and  nour- 
ished in  and  by  the  womb  of  the  mother,  so  is  the  new  soul 
begotten  and  nourished  in  the  waters  of  baptism,"  is  his  fa- 
vorite comparison.  He  upbraids  Christians  with  having  less 
faith  than  some  among  the  Jews,  at  the  baptism  of  Pagans 
into  their  church,  "  who  had  higher  notions,  and  figured 
that  a  new  soul  descended  from  the  region  of  spirits  on  the 
admitted  proselyte."  It  is  difficult  at  times  to  form  any 
conception  of  the  kind  or  degree  of  change  supposed  by 
these  writers  to  be  effected  by  baptism.  Sometimes  it  is 
described  as  an  union  with  Christ,  like  that  supposed  to  take 
place  in  the  Supper  among  the  Romanists,  when  the  receiv- 
er partakes  of  the  actual  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  and 
thus  is  incorporated  into  him.  At  others,  a  sudden  and 
great  moral  revolution  is  effected  in  the  soul  even  of  the 
infant,  of  which  it  may  perhaps  be  conscious.  One  of 
them,  some  of  whose  writings  have  been  published  and  cir- 
culated in  this  country — thus  addresses  the  child  : 

*  "  Dear  Christian  child!  was  it  the  power 
"  That  in  those  gifted  waters  came, 
"  Which  stirred  thee  at  that  solemn  hour, 
"  And  thrilled  thro'  all  thy  trembling  frame? 
"  Oh,  was  it  keen  and  fierce  the  smart, 
"  When  the  old  root  within  thee  died, 
"  And  the  new  nature  in  thy  heart 
"  Rose  like  the  swell  of  Ocean's  tide?" 

It  is  however  to  be  hoped  that  there  are  but  few  who  would 
regard  this  in  any  other  light  than  poetry  ;  and  yet  there  are 
many  others  who  freely  advocate  views  on  the  subject  more 
likely  to  be  injurious,  because  more  likely  to  be  received  and 
acted  on.  There  are  those  who  advocate  a  baptismal  regen- 
eration, most  seriously  interfering,  as  we  think,  with  the 
scripture  doctrine  of  repentance  or  conversion,  superseding 
the  necessity  of  it  altogether  in  some,  and  of  course  making 
a  very  great  reduction  of  it  in  others.  In  proof  of  this  we 
adduce  the  following  passages  from  the  writings  of  Mr.  Gres- 
ley,  an  English  divine  of  some  distinction,  two  of  whose 
volumes  have  been  published  and  circulated  in  our  country.! 

*  Frederick  Faber,  recently  gone  over  to  Rome. 

t  One  of  the  volumes  is  on  the  subject  of  preaching,  and  is  addressed, 
to  candidates  for  the  ministry,  a#.d  contains  the  doctrine  objected  to 


59 

In  one  of  them  he  says,  baptismal  regeneration  "is  the 
beginning  of  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul" — "  it  is  the  im- 
planting in  the  heart  the  seed  of  divine  grace."  P.  133. 
"  God  does  then  and  there  implant  the  principle  of  faith  in 
the  child's,  heart."  P.  135.  "  The  Church  takes  each  child 
into  her  arms,  and  by  the  use  of  Christ's  holy  ordinance 
she  confers  on  him  a  new  nature  by  water  and  the  Spirit." 
As  soon  as  they  are  able  to  understand  what  things  were  re- 
nounced in  baptism,  she  exhorts  them  "  not  to  turn  from 
them  and  repent,  but  renounce — that  isy  to  have  nothing  to 
do  with  them  from  the  beginning."  P.  246.  "  Those  who 
have  fallen  from  their  baptismal  purity,  are  to  be  reminded 
of  the  privileges  they  have  lost,  and  the  imminent  danger 
they  are  in."  P.  132.  He  acknowledges  that  the  majority 
fall  from  their  baptismal  grace,  but  that  the  Church  holds 
out  to  such  the  hope  of  repentance."  P.  247.  "  The 
evangelical,  he  says,  dwells  almost  entirely  on  conversion." 
"  The  churchman  preaches  baptismal  regeneration,  and,  to 
those  who  have  fallen,  repentance."  P.  248.  We  should 
not  thus  have  noticed  a  work  of  this  kind,  did  it  not,  we  fear, 
but  too  faithfully  represent  the  sentiments  of  many  as  exhib- 
ited in  sermons,  tracts,  and  essays,  becoming  more  and  more 
common  in  the  Episcopal  Church  of  England  and  America. 
The  very  fact  of  the  publication  of  this,  and  similar  works, 
and  the  favor  they  find,  is  evidence  of  it.  It  is  plain,  that 
there  is  a  wide  difference  between  Mr.  Gresley  and  those 
thinking  with  us  on  a  subject  of  great  importance.  Mr. 
Gresley  believes,  to  use  his  own  language,  "  that  every  things 
is  given  in  baptism" — that  the  object  of  education  is  only  to 
preserve  that  purity  which  is  infused  at  baptism — that  some 
do  retain  it,  though  the  majority  lose  it — that  the  Church* 
assured  that  they  have  received  it,  and  that  they  can  by 
means  of  a  pious  education  preserve  it,  does  not  exhort 
them  to  turn  from  the  things  renounced  and  repent,  but  to 
renounce — that  is,  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  them  from  the 
beginning.     Now,   even   supposing  that  renounce   alluded 

though  in  a  slighter  degree  ;  the  other  is  a  fictitious  work,  entitled  Ber- 
nard Leslie,  whose  object  throughout  is  to  hold  up  to  odium  the  evan- 
gelical clergy  of  England,  and  to  object  to.  their  doctrines.  The  quota- 
tions are  from  this  volume. 


60 

only  to  things  with  which  we  have  never  yet  had  to  do,  and 
not  to  things  also  with  which  we  have  had  to  do— a  perfect- 
ly new  idea — we  might  ask  if  God,  in  commanding  us  to  be 
perfect — to  do  no  sin — thereby  meant  to  encourage  the  be- 
lief that  there  ever  yet  was  one  man  on  earth  who  was  free 
from  sin,  and  needed  no  repentance  ;  but  rather  to  show  his 
condemnation  of  all  sin,  and  to  bring  in  all  men  guilty. 
And  where  has  the  Church,  in  any  of  her  other  services, 
furnished  the  shadow  of  a  belief  or  hope,  that  one  of  her 
baptized  members  needed  no  repentance — seeing  that  in  alt 
of  them  she  has  provided  most  penitential  exercises,  and 
actually  gave  baptism  only  on  the  faithful  promise  of  a  re- 
pentance in  after  years  whereby  we  forsake  sin,  and  will 
not  admit  any  to  confirmation  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  with- 
out the  fulfilment  of  the  promise — that  is,  a  true  repentance. 
It  did,  indeed,  not  become  the  Church,  any  more  than  our 
Lord,  to  use  language  which  might  even  seem  to  allow  of 
sin  at  all ;  but  as  St.  Bernard  said  of  the  injunction  to  be 
perfect,  "  it  did  not  escape  the  notice  of  the  giver  of  the 
precept,  that  the  weight  of  the  precept  exceeded  man's 
strength  ;  but  he  judged  it  expedient,  that  man  should  be  re- 
minded of  his  insufficiency  in  this  very  way,  and  know  what 
extent  of  righteousness  he  should  aim  at  with  all  his  might. 
In  commanding  impossibilities  therefore,  he  did  not  render 
men  prevaricators,  but  humble,  that  every  mouth  might  be 
stopped."  A  similar  use  has  been  made  of  another  pas- 
sage in  the  baptismal  service,  wherein  the  Church  is  called 
on  to  pray,  after  his  baptism,  that  "  the  child  may  lead  the 
rest  of  his  life  according  to  this  beginning."  It  is  main- 
tained that  this  beginning  means  the  holy  nature  put  into  the 
child — the  new  current  given  to  its  faculties  and  affections, 
which  are  only  to  be  continued  ;  instead  of  being  referred 
to  the  solemn  vows  made,  the  faith  and  repentance  promised, 
the  prayers  offered  up.  It  had  just  before  been  declared  that 
hewas  signed  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  in  token  that  here- 
after  he  should  not  be  ashamed  to  confess  the  faith  of  Christ 
crucified — be  Christ's  faithful  soldier  and  servant  to  his  life's 
end.  After  the  baptism  it  is  prayed,  not  that  the  child  may 
preserve  this  new  nature,  this  purity  given,  but  that  he  may 
crucify  the  old  man,  and  utterly  abolish  the  whole  body  of 


61 

sin.  In  the  final  exhortation,  instead  of  the  sponsor  being 
exhorted  to  remind  the  child  of  the  new  heart  which  he  has 
received,  and  to  enjoin  it  upon  him  to  hold  it  fast,  they  must 
teach  what  a  solemn  vow,  promise,  and  profession,  he  has 
made — that  is,  of  repentance  and  faith,  which,  by  reason  of 
its  tender  age,  it  could  not  perform  before  baptism  ;  and  that 
he  who  is  baptized  should  die  from  sin.  Let  any  one  read 
over  the  service  and  ask,  if  it  be  possible  that  the  Church, 
if  desiring  to  set  forth  the  fact  of  the  child's  positive  re- 
newal, could  have  expressed  herself  in  terms  so  illy  calcu- 
lated to  make  that  impression,  and  convey  that  idea. 

Having  thus  seen  to  what  extravagancies  and  corruptions- 
the  theory  of  a  positive  change  in  the  yet  undeveloped  fac- 
ulties and  affections  of  the  unconscious  babe  has  led,  let  us 
for  a  moment  consider  the  theory  for  which  we  plead,  and 
the  probable  effects  thereof.  According  to  the  promises  of 
the  covenant,  forgiveness  of  sin,  (of  course  original  sin  in 
children)  and  the  aids  of  the  spirit,  belong  to  our  children. 
These  are  solemnly  sealed  to  each  one  in  baptism  at  his 
birth.  They  are  washed  from  original  sin,  or  the  corrup- 
tion of  their  nature — not  from  the  existence  and  stain  of  it 
in  the  soul,  but  through  the  atonement  of  Christfrom  the 
condemnation  of  it.  It  shall  not  be  permitted,  except  through 
their  own  wilful  choice  and  actual  sin,  to  exclude  them  from 
Heaven.  If  they  die  in  childhood — that  is,  during  any  part 
of  that  time  lying  between  their  birth  and  the  age  of  discre- 
tion— even  though  we  may  see  symptoms  of  an  unrenewed 
nature,  we  may  be  assured  that  God  in  his  mercy  will  re- 
ceive them  ;  and  that  he  is  full  able,  in  his  own  way  and  time, 
to  effect  whatever  change  may  be  necessary  to  fit  them  for 
Heaven.  As  they  are  not  yet  able  to  discern  their  real  con- 
dition, and  to  choose  between  good  and  evil,  we  trust  in 
God's  mercy  and  his  promises.  But  when  that  fearfully  in- 
teresting period  comes — the  age  of  discretion — at  that  mo- 
ment they  are  under  a  most  solemn  promise  to  pay  the  debt 
contracted  on  entering  the  Church — that  is,  heartily  to  em- 
brace the  religion  of  Christ;  in  other  words,  to  believe  and 
repent,  which  in  baptism  they  faithfully  promised.  They 
now,  regarded  as  adults,  are  required  to  determine  whether 
they  will  accept  or  reject  the  religion  of  Christ.  Yea  orr 
6 


62 

nay  it  must  be.  The  repentance  and  faith  which  they  have 
promised,  are  precisely  the  same  required  of  adult  converts. 
They  must,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  through  the  word,  be  con- 
vinced of  sin,  original  and  actual — must  see  that  they  are 
lost  sinners  without  a  true  repentance  and  genuine  faith  in 
Christ — must  renounce  the  Devil  and  all  his  works,  by  a 
deliberate  act  of  their  own  will,  and  declare  war  against  all 
the  sinful  lusts  of  the  flesh— must  experience  the  renewing" 
influences  of  the  Spirit— -must  be  able  by  it  to  say,  Abba 
Father—must  say,  in  the  words  of  the  Catechism,  I  heartily 
thank  God  who  has  put  me  into  this  state  of  salvation,  and 
I  feel  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  sanctified  me.  These  are  not 
things  which  they  have  preserved  from  their  baptism  onward; 
for  the  Catechism  says,  they  cannot  by  reason  of  their  ten- 
der age  perform  them  ;  it  is  something  which  they  now  do,  and 
which  the  Church  consented  to  wait  for  until  this  very  time  ; 
that  which  the  adult  must  do  before  baptism — precisely  the 
same  thing,  and  nothing  else.  Now,  how  shall  we  recon- 
cile with  this  the  views  of  those  who  say,  that  some  retain 
their  new  nature  given  in  baptism,  so  as  to  need  no  repen- 
tance ;  and  others  only  a  slight  repentance  for  some  sins,  but 
no  radical  change,  no  conversion — that  is,  turning  of  the 
soul  to  God  in  faith  and  repentance.  The  Church  teaches 
us  but  one  kind  of  repentance  and  one  faith — both  of  them 
deep,  thorough,  transforming.  She  requires  but  one  in  bap- 
tism. If  there  be  any  who  need  none,  who,  when  they 
come  to  years  of  discretion  are  so  pure  as  not  to  need  the 
only  repentance  which  the  Church  acknowledges  and  re- 
quires, then  she  has  made  these  children  at  their  baptism 
solemnly  promise  a  falsehood,  and  if  they  renew  those  vows 
in  confirmation,  they  renew  the  falsehood  ;  and,  moreover, 
such,  according  to  her  terms,  have  no  right  to  the  Lord's 
Supper,  for  she  deems  none  worthy,  except  they  come  truly 
repenting  of  their  sins,  and  steadfastly  purposing  to  lead  a 
new  life  ;  and  if  they  do  come,  they  must  be  guilty  of  hy- 
pocrisy while  using  all  those  deeply  penitential  prayers 
which  she  has  provided  for  them  on  that  occasion.* 


*If  we  can  and  if  some  do,  live  to  the  age  of  discretion,  so  as  to  need 
no  repentance — so  that  their  angels  need  never  blush  for  them  (as  one 


63 

In  saying,  however,  that  they  are  in  the  condition  of  adults' 
who  seek  admission  to  the  Church  for  the  first  time  in  bap- 
tism, and  who  must  come  truly  repenting  and  believing,  I 
make  one  great  difference  between  them.  Those  who  have 
been  baptized  in  infancy,  and  whose  baptism  has  been  fol- 
lowed up,  and  improved  by  their  sponsors  and  themselves, 
are  much  more  likely  to  choose  the  offered  salvation.  They 
are  the  more  likely  to  be  born  again  of  the  word  through 
the  Spirit — that  word  in  which  they  have  been  instructed — 
that  Spirit  for  which  they  have  been  taught  to  pray,  and 
which  has  been  striving  with  them.  They  have  been  edu- 
cated for  this  very  thing,  if  rightly  educated.  But  then, 
there  must  be  a  time  of  decision — an  act  of  choice — there  is 
a  line  of  division ;  unless,  indeed,  we  suppose  that  there  be 
some  other  place,  or  places,  beside  Heaven  and  hell,  whith- 
er persons  in  various  degrees  of  preparation  may  be  permit- 
ted to  go ;  or,  unless  we  suppose  that  the  ascending  seats  of 
Heaven,  and  the  descending  steps  of  hell,  are  so  near  to 
<each  other,  and  are  so  graduated  as  to  happiness  and  misery, 
that  there  is  but  little  choice  between  the  highest  of  the  one, 
and  the  lowest  of  the  other ;  or,  else  resort  to  the  doctrine 
of  purgatory,  in  order  to  make  up  the  deficiency  in  the  im- 
perfectly prepared.  Against  such  theories,  surely  I  need 
say  nothing.  At  what  precise  period  of  life,  the  fearful 
moment  of  discretion  and  accountability  comes,  God  has 
no  where  revealed.  It  doubtless  varies  in  different  persons. 
For  the  same  reason   that  God  makes  uncertainty  to  rest  on 

has  expressed  it)  before  their  Father  in  Heaven  ;  then  surely  we  may- 
expect  that  many  will  continue  so  to  live  as  never  to  need  it ;  and  then 
what  have  they  to  do  with  our  confession,  and  other  parts  of  the  service. 
Instead  of  being  constructed  for  the  righteous,  all  our  services  must 
have  been  intended  only  for  the  most  wicked,  when  just  awakened 
to  a  sense  of  great  guilt — especially  the  communion  office.  It  is  declar- 
ed in  a  previous  address,  that  those  only  receive  it  worthily,  who  do  it 
with  a  true  penitent  heart  and  lively  faith.  Those,  therefore,  who  come 
not  thus,  partake  unworthily,  and  therefore  to  their  condemnation. 
The  invitation  is  only  to  those  who  truly  and  earnestly  repent  them  of 
heir  sins,  steadfastly  purposing  to  lead  a  new  life., 

"  Hungry  and  naked,  this  is  all  the  plea, 

"All  the  desert  is  helpless  misery. 

"  He  died  for  sinners — if  we  come  not  thus, 

"  Whate'er  our  claims,  he  did  not  die  for  us." 


64 

•the  time  of  each  one's  death,  he  conceals  from  children  and 
parents  the  particular  time  when  accountability  begins,  that 
they  may  with  fear  and  trembling  hasten  the  duty  belonging 
to  it.  Painful  has  been  the  anxiety  of  some  parents  on  this 
subject,  when  thinking  on  the  number  of  young  persons  dy- 
ing about  the  period  where  it  must  be  found.  What  anguish 
has  wrung  the  hearts  of  others  whose  children  have  died 
about  that  period,  giving  no  sign  on  which  to  fasten  the  hope 
of  a  gracious  change,  and  yet  they  dare  not  certainly  expect 
their  salvation  on  the  ground  of  childhood.  From  the  mo- 
ment they  reach  that  critical  period,  come  when  it  may,  if 
they  refuse  to  be  convinced  by  the  Spirit,  through  the  word, 
that  they  are  sinners  by  nature  and  practice — to  be  humbled 
under  the  sense  of  sin — to  ask,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved — 
to  accept  the  salvation  of  Christ — to  live  unto  God  ;  then, 
henceforth,  and  as  long  as  they  continue  thus,  they  are  re- 
bels, and  can  have  no  hope.  The  hope  which  we  once  had, 
that  God  on  account  of  their  tender  age  would,  for  Christ's 
sake,  accept  them,  though  unable  to  exercise  true  faith  and 
repentance,  and  would  make  whatever  change  was  necessa- 
ry to  fit  them  for  Heaven,  is  now  gone.  As  to  the  Church, 
•they  virtually  renounce  their  connexion  with  her,  having 
violated  those  solemn  vows,  the  conditions  on  which  she 
admitted  them  on  equal  terms  with  adult  believers.  If  adults 
had  asked  for  baptism,  but  refused  the  terms  of  faith  and  re- 
pentance, of  course  she  would  not  have  granted  them  bap- 
tism ;  and  could  she  have  foreseen  that  these  would  have 
proved  false  to  the  promises  made,  would  she  have  been  jus- 
tified in  receiving  them  ?  At  any  rate,  their  circumcision 
has  become  uncircumcision.  The  mere  form  of  Godliness 
has  been  gone  through,  the  power  of  it  has  never  been  felt. 
At  this  eventful  age  of  discretion  then,  they  have  not  to 
hold  fast  a  holiness  received  in  baptism,  but  to  do  that  which 
they  promised  in  baptism,  by  the  help  of  that  Spirit  prom- 
ised of  God  before  baptism,  and  sealed  tothem  in  baptism,  and 
which  has  ever  been  striving  with  them,  as  they  needed  and 
could  use  it.  They  have  now  to  choose  between  good  and 
evil — now  to  believe  and  repent.  If  they  do,  they  are  re- 
newed, converted  ;  they  have  turned  unto  God.  If  they  do 
not,  the  old  man,  which  was  to  be  crucified,  is  still  in  them ; 


65 

all  the  means  of  God's  appointment  have  been  lost  upon 
them — all  the  strivings  of  the  Spirit  have  been  resisted,  and 
they  have  been  as  so  many  tares  growing  among  the  wheat, 
as  so  many  bad  fish  in  the  Gospel  net.  They  did  not  be- 
come tares  after  they  were  sown  in  the  field,  or  bad  fish  af- 
ter they  were  caught  in  the  net;  they  were  so  from  the  first, 
and  have  never  been  changed  ;  they  are  yet  in  their  sins.* 

If  this  be  not  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  in  her  baptismal 
service  and  catechism,  then  ought  there  to  be  an  entire  change 
as  to  what  she  requires  of  children  by  way  of  promise,  in 
order  to  baptism,  and,  of  couse,  in  the  way  of  fulfilment 
when  they  come  to  age ;  for  she  certainly  does  require  of  them 
all,  at  that  time,  without  exception,  the  same  faith  and  re- 
pentance as  of  adults,  even  that  faith  and  repentance  which, 
throughout  God's  word,  constitute  the  sum  and  substance  of 
Christianity.  I  hope  I  shall  not  be  misunderstood  on  this 
point.  I  am  very  far  from  supposing  that  the  mind  is  inca- 
pable of  acting  at  all  on  the  subject  of  religion,  until  it  has 
reached  that  point  of  maturity  when  the  learful  question  is 
decided,  for  or  against  God's  service,  for  the  present  at  least. 
Long  before  this,  the  Spirit  of  God  may,  through  the  means 

*The  distinction  between  the  visible  and  invisible  Church. — It  becomes  us 
ever  to  bear  in  mind  a  distinction  which  is  often  made  by  divines  be- 
tween the  visible  and  invisible  Church.  Some  object  to  it,  saying  the 
terms  are  not  found  in  the  Scriptures  or  the  prayer  book.  If 'the  same 
words  are  not,  the  fact  intended  to  be  declared  by  them  certainly  is. 
Our  nineteenth  article  says,  "the  visible  Church  of  Christ  is  a  congrega- 
tion of  faithful  men,  in  the  which  the  pure  word  of  God  is  preached," 
•etc.  ;  but,  in  the  twenty-sixth  article,  it  is  said:  "  Although  in  the  visi- 
ble Church,  the  evil  be  ever  mingled  with  the  good,  and  sometimes  the 
evil  have  chief  authority,"  etc.  It  is  evident,  then,  that  by  the  faithful 
in  the  first  of  these  passages  must  be  meant  those  who  are  baptized 
into  the  Church,  and  profess  to  believe  in  Christ,  though  some  of  them 
be  not  good,  but  evil — false  professors.  God  only  knows  who  the  really 
faithful  are.  They  compose  the  Church  invisible  to  mortal  eye,  as  dis- 
tinct from  the  whole  body.  The  Lord  only  knows  who  are  his.  This 
painful  truth,  that  some  are  evil,  runs  through  all  our  services  ;  although 
we,  being  unable  to  distinguish,  must  sometimes  speak  of  all  who  pro- 
fess as,  being  the  children  of  God.  So  it  is  with  the  Scriptures.  While 
the  Apostles  sometimes,  addressing  the  Churches  as  such  collectively, 
call  them  saints,  faithful,  elect,  holy,  because  they  so  professed,  and 
most  of  them  at  that  time  doubtless  were  ;  yet  at  others,  they  speak  of 
some  individuals  as  being  most  certainly  so,  and  others  as  most  certain- 
ly the  very  reverse ;  although  they  had  just  before  been  included  in  the 


66 

used,  have  been  preparing  them  for  it.  At  a  very  early  age 
some  have  exhibited  blessed  signs  of  a  gracious  change  ef- 
fected, especially  in  the  hour  of  death.  Such  has  ever  been 
the  belief  of  the  Church.  It  may  be  well  to  advert  to  some 
of  the  evidences  of  this. 

Amongst  the  Jews,  we  are  told,  that  life  was  divided  into 
five  parts.*  According  as  they  came  within  these  divisions, 
they  were  called  infants,  little  ones,  children,  young  men, 
fathers  or  men,  or  else  mothers  or  women.  The  first  period 
was,  from  the  birth  to  three  or  four  years  of  age.  The  sec- 
ond, from  that  to  six  or  seven.  The  third,  from  that  to  thir- 
teen. The  fourth,  to  eighteen  or  twenty.  The  fifth,  to  the 
end  of  life.  At  three  years  of  age  their  names  were  entered 
in  the  genealogy  of  their  family,  if  they  had  been  circumcised 
at  any  time  previously ;  if  not,  they  were,  by  being  refused  a 
registry,  supposed  to  suffer  the  punishment  of  being  cut  off 


general  terms  of  holy,  beloved,  faithful,  etc.  The  Scriptures  are  full  o 
passages  declaring  that  "all  is  not  Israel  which  is  called  Israel,"  some 
are  "  Israelites  indeed,"  "the  circumcised  in  heart,"  "the  true-heart- 
ed," "  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,"  "  the  Spirit  bears 
witness  with  their  spirits  that  they  are  the  children  of  God."  They 
can  say  "Abba  Father,"  in  sincerity  and  truth.  While  others  "have 
only  a  name  to  live,"  "  take  the  covenant  of  God  within  their  mouths," 
and  yet  "  it  is  iniquity,  even  the  solemn  meeting."  These  are  in  the 
visible  Church  as  tares  in  the  field,  and  bad  fish  in  the  net ;  the  great 
day  alone  can  separate  them.  At  baptism,  adults  join  the  visible  Church, 
but  if  true  believers,  they  have  joined  the  invisible  Church  before. 

Infants  at  baptism  join  the  visible  Church,  and  the  invisible  one  when 
they  become  true  believers,  although  if  they  die  before  they  are  capable 
of  faith  and  repentance,  we  have  reason  to  hope  and  beheve  God  will 
receive  them  to  himself.  The  Church  in  every  age,  has  been  pleased  to 
bestow  on  children  who  were  baptized,  the  same  titles  of  holy  ones — 
the  faithfuls — that  are  applied  to  adults,  not  knowing  which  of  them 
might  prove  holy  or  faithful,  should  they  live,  aud  seeing  that  in  bap- 
tism they  have  promised  these  things.  Interesting  epitaphs  taken  from 
the  tombs  of  little  children,  in  the  earliest  ages,  setting  forth  this,  have 
come  down  to  us.  Being  baptized  and  dying  at  an  early  age,  their 
parents  have  recorded  the  fact,  and  given  them  the  title  of  "  faithfuls," 
mentioning  how  long  since  they  were  numbered  among  the  faithful — 
that  is,  since  baptism. 

*The  author  is  much  indebted  for  what  he  has  said  here,  and  else- 
where, on  the  subject  of  the  Jewish  estimate  and  treatment  of  children, 
and  admission  of  Pagans  into  the  Church,  to  the  works  of  Isaacs  on  the 
ceremonies  of  the  Jews,  and  Taylor  on  Apostolical  baptism. 


67 

for  breaking  the  covenant.  At  three  years  of  age  they  were 
allowed  to  enter,  with  their  parents,  into  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  and  be  present  at  the  services  ;  the  children  of  the 
priests  to  partake  of  the  sacrifices.  At  the  age  of  six  or 
seven,  when  they  had  learned  to  read  the  books  of  Moses, 
they  were  considered  as  capable  of  some  responsible  acts. 
Thus  Joash  was,  by  the  instrumentality  of  Jehoida,  made  to 
enter  into  covenant  with  the  Lord,  and  with  his  people.  At 
thirteen  years  of  age  there  was  something  like  the  rite  of 
confirmation,  or  renewal  of  the  covenant  of  circumcision,  af- 
ter which  they  partook  of  the  Passover.  Our  Lord  entered 
the  Temple  for  the  first  time  one  year  before  this,  at  twelve 
years  of  age,  going  up  to  Jerusalem,  it  is  supposed,  for  this 
purpose.  In  all  these  regulations  we  see  a  continual  recog- 
nition of  children,  as  the  subjects  of  early  religious  training. 
Is  there  not  reason  to  believe  that  the  aged  St.  John,  in  his 
affectionate  epistle,  where  he  addresses  himself  to  little  chil- 
dren, young  men,  and  fathers,  has  reference  to  some  of  these 
divisions.  He  does  not  write  to  infants,  for  they  could  not 
understand  him,  but  begins  with  children.  They,  moving 
on  towards  thirteen  years  of  age,  could  understand  his  sim- 
ple and  affectionate  admonition.  He  wrote  to  them,  he  says, 
because  their  sins  had  been  forgiven  them.  For  them  a  Sa- 
viour died.  For  them  the  Holy  Ghost  had  come,  and  was 
striving  with  their  hearts.  To  them  the  promises  of  God 
had  been  sealed  in  baptism,  when  they  were  grafted  into 
Christ's  Church.  He  wrote,  also,  to  young  men,  because,  as 
he  says,  "  ye  are  strong,  and  have  overcome  the  wicked  one." 
These,  from  thirteen  years  and  upwards,  had  deliberately  re- 
nounced the  Devil,  and  were  engaged  in  a  resolute  and  suc- 
cessful contest  with  him.  Such  is  the  view  which  has  been 
given  of  this  interesting  passage,  and  which  is  surely  more 
than  probably  correct.  Let  us,  also,  notice  our  Lord's  con- 
duct as  to  children.  Those  whom  he  took  into  his  arms  are 
called  by  one  of  the  Evangelists,  infants;  by  two  others,  chil- 
dren ;  perhaps  they  were  approaching  the  line  which  divided 
the  two  classes.  On  another  occasion,  when  our  Lord  wished 
to  rebuke  the  ambition  of  his  disciples,  he  took  a  little  child 
and  set  him  in  the  midst,  and  bid  them  to  imitate  him;  doubt- 
less  alluding  to  their  freedom  from  those  ambitious  desires 


68 

which  animated  the  disciples.  But  he  goes  on  to  speak  ten- 
derly of  such  children,  as  little  ones  who  believed  in  him. 
Now  if  the  child  were  passed  the  age  of  three  or  four,  and 
perhaps  the  age  of  seven,  and  was  advancing  towards  thir- 
teen, our  Saviour  might  very  properly  speak  of  such  as  be- 
lieving in  him.  Children  of  that  age,  piously  brought  up,  as 
Timothy  was  from  a  child,  might  know  the  Scriptures.  All 
these  instances  of  attention  to  children  among  the  Jews,  so 
agreeing  with  God's  directions  as  to  their  early  and  faithful 
instruction,  and  these  acts  of  our  Lord,  surely  commend  them 
to  our  care  as  susceptible  of  religious  influence.  It  is  utterly 
impossible  for  the  Church  to  determine  positively  at  what 
age  the  decisive  choice  must  be  made — on  which  life  or  death 
depends.  God  only  knows  that.  The  Jewish  Church,  for 
the  purpose  of  discipline,  seems  to  have  fixed  on  thirteen  for 
the  Passover.  Our  Bishops  in  England  have  determined 
that  it  was  inexpedient  to  confirm  under  fourteen  years  of 
age,  of  course  ;  meaning  thereby  to  declare  that,  at  that  time, 
on  an  average  the  young  must  surely  be  capable  of  true  faith  and 
penitence ;  not  but  that  many  were  fully  capable  before,  and 
might  be  lost  if  not  prepared.  There  is  no  rule  in  our  Ameri- 
can Church.  I  have  confirmed  a  few  under  that  age,  of  whose 
piety  I  had  no  reason  to  doubt  at  the  time,  nor  since.* 


*  Jige  of  discretion.-r-At  five  years  of  age,  (said  one  of  their  Rabbies,) 
a  child  should  study  the  Scriptures — at  ten,  the  Mishna,  their  book  of 
traditions — at  thirteen,  he  is  bound  to  observe  the  precepts.  If  a  boy  ar- 
rives at  the  age  of  thirteen,  then,  the  next  Sabbath  after,  he  goes  to  the 
Synagogue,  and  reads  publicly  at  the  desk,  next  to  where  the  reader  is 
stationed,  and  chants  a  portion  of  Scripture;  if  not  capable  so  to  do,  one 
is  read  for  him  by  the  reader;  and  after  going  through  many  ceremonies, 
the  father  of  said  son,  if  living,  but  if  deceased  the  godfather  of  the  boy, 
or  nearest  relation,  who  has  had  the  charge  of  him,  goes  to  the  desk, 
lays  his  two  hands  upon  his  head,  and  gives  him  this  blessing — May 
you  follow  the  same  steps  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob;  amen  and  amen. 
He  likewise  says,  "this  day  you  have  arrived  at  manhood,  and  from 
this  day  and  henceforth,  I  am  free  from  all  your  sins  which  you  may  com- 
mit hereafter,  and  you  have  to  answer  for  your  own  deeds ;  from  this 
day,  and  henceforth,  you  are  reckoned  among  the  congregation ;  be  strict; 
keep  the  laws  and  the  precepts  ;  then  the  blessings  of  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham will  be  your  shield  and  guide  through  life."  Sometimes,  in  order  to 
make  up  a  Congregation,  which  required  ten  persons  over  thirteen  years 
of  age,  when  they  became  men,  or  young  men,  if  there  were  only  nine, 


69 

What,  then,  is  the  difference  between  the  two  systems  ? 
The  one  supposes,  that  in  baptism  a  change  is  positively  ef- 
fected in  the  corrupt  nature  of  man,  which  makes  the  child 
meet  for  Heaven,  otherwise  unmeet,  and  without  which  some 
think  there  is  no  promise,  and  but  little  reason  for  hope. 
This  meetness  has  only  to  be  preserved,  may  be  preserved, 
and  is  preserved  in  some,  so  as  not  to  need  those  exercises 
of  mind  called  by  some  conversion  ;  no,  not  even  repentance, 
though  solemnly  promised.  When  come  to  years  of  discre- 
tion, they  have  only  to  go  on  thus,  holding  fast  what  they  re- 
ceived. Should  they  have  lost  it,  or  so  far  as  they  have  lost 
it,  they  must  seek  to  regain  it  by  penitence,  On  the  other 
system  no  change  of  the  evil  nature  is  supposed  to  take  place, 
the  infection,  as  our  article  says,  still  remaining,  but  the  Holy 
Spirit  promised  before  to  the  children,  and  pledged,  and  as- 
sured in  baptism,  is  given  to  assist,  as  it  is  enabled  to  use  it 
in  order  to  produce  this  meetness.* 

A  pious  education  uses  its  best  efforts  to  the  same  end. 
At  the  critical  period  spoken  of,  the  question  to  be  decided 


they  would  take  a  boy,  if  only  one  day  over  twelve,  and  putting  him  in 
the  midst  of  the  congregation  with  an  Hebrew  Bible  under  his  arm,  and 
thus  constitute  him  a  man,  for  the  purpose  desired.  Our  blessed  Sa- 
viour at  twelve  years  of  age  entered  the  Temple  itself,  and  took  a  place 
among  the  Doctors,  asking  them  questions. 

*The  9th  and  15th  articles  throw  light  upon  this  subject.  In  the  9th, 
original  sin  is  declared  to  be  the  "fault  and  corruption  of  every  man 
that  naturally  is  engendered  of  the  offspring  of  Adam."  And  "this 
infection  of  nature  doth  remain,  yea,  in  them  that  are  regenerated."  It 
does  not  say  that  some  relic  of  it  continues  in  the  baptized,  but  that 
every  fault  and  corruption,  or  infection,  which  we  bring  into  the  world, 
and  which  "deserveth  God's  wrath  and  damnation."  In  the  15th 
article,  it  is  said,  that  Christ  alone  was  without  sin.  He  was  not  natu- 
rally, but  supernaturally,  engendered  of  the  offspring  of  Adam,  and 
was  "  clearly  void  (of  sin)  both  in  his  flesh  and  spirit."  "  But  all 
we,  the  rest,  although  baptized  and  born  again  in  Christ,  yet  offend  in 
many  things ;  and,  if  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  From  which,  it  would  plainly  appear,  that 
a  sinless  nature,  either  before  or  after  baptism,  in  any  of  the  descendants 
of  Adam,  since  Adam's  fall,  is  recognised  in  none,  but  in  the  holy  child 
Jesus,  the  second  Adam.  The  infection  of  sin,  by  which  as  the  9th  ar- 
ticle expresses  it,  "  man  is  of  his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil,  so  that 
the  flesh  lusteth  always  contrary  to  the  spirit,"  still  remains,  but  grace 
is  given  to  contend  against  it,  and  bring  us  to  faith  and  repentance  ;  and 
to  those  who  have  these,  there  is  no  condemnation.  See  the  9th,  15th, 
16th  articles. 


70 

by  the  youthful  candidate  is  this — Shall  I  come  to  God  the 
Father  by  a  true  repentance,  to  Christ  by  a  living  faith, 
drawn  to  each  by  the  Holy  Spirit?  He  is  not  called  on  to 
hold  fast  something  possessed,  but  to  seize  upon  something 
held  up  to  the  view.  If  he  does  not  choose  life,  death  is  his 
portion.  Previous  to  that  period,  if  taken  out  of  this  world, 
there  is  sweet  hope,  not  from  a  change  effected,  but  from  the 
mercy  of  God  through  Christ;  and  as  St.  Paul  found  mercy 
because  he  sinned  through  ignorance  and  unbelief,  so  these, 
because  of  their  undeveloped  faculties  and  tender  years,  will 
yet  be  received,  and  God  can  prepare  them  for  such  a  mea- 
sure of  glory  as  may  await  them.  This  we  present  as  the 
most  probable  inference  to  be  drawn  from  the  Bible  and  the 
language  of  the  Church.  All  the  preparatory  steps  of  a  re- 
ligious education — all  the  efforts  of  parents  and  others  to  in- 
struct their  young  ones,  to  restrain  them,  to  bring  them  up 
in  virtuous  habits,  are  directed  to  this  object — not  to  keep  a 
supposed  purity  within,  which  shall  supercede  the  necessity 
of  penitence,  which  leads  by  faith  to  Christ,  but  to  bring 
them  at  the  earliest  age  to  deep  humility  and  faith,  as  in- 
dispensable to  salvation.  Constitutional  temperament,  not 
baptismal  purity,  will  make  a  difference  in  the  pains  of  the  pen- 
itence of  some — some  having  been  greater  sinners,  will  in- 
deed have  a  deeper  penitence  ;  but  all  must  repent ;  the  law 
must  slay  them.  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved,  must  be  the 
cry  of  all.  Now  all  this,  which  we  affirm  of  the  two  sys- 
tems, is  sustained  by  facts.  The  experience  and  observa- 
tions of  parents  and  ministers  tend  to  this.  How  often  is  it 
the  case,  that  those  most  piously  educated,  and  who  have 
been  most  docile,  most  obedient,  who  seem  to  be  most  pious, 
and  who  actually  have  been,  no  doubt,  under  the  influence  of 
grace,  yet  when  theycome  to  age,  are  by  the  word  and  Spirit 
convinced  of  sin,  are  deeply  humbled,  find  it  hard  to  cherish 
hope,  think  none  can  be  worse  than  themselves,  refuse  for  a 
time  to  be  comforted.  These  are  not  the  persons  to  be  looking 
back  to  find  out  how  much  baptismal  purity  they  have  kept, 
how  little  repentance  they  need,  how  little  their  white  robe 
has  been  sullied.  They  rather  say,  "  mine  eye  seeth  thee, 
O  God  ;  wherefore  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and 
ashes,"     "  Who  can  tell  how  oft  he  offendeth."     "  Make 


71 

me  a  clean  heart,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me."  The 
children  of  pious  parents,  if  piously  educated,  are  those  who 
are  most  frequently  brought  to  this  penitent  state.  The  bur- 
den of  a  pious  parent's  prayer  is,  that  their  children  may  b& 
brought  to  see  their  exceeding  sinfulness — to  repent  and  be- 
lieve. This  was  the  promise  made  in  their  name — this  the 
great  object  sought  for.  The  evidence  of  it,  is  the  great  joy 
of  the  parent's  heart.  Now,  and  now  only,  can  he  have 
hope.  Timothy  was  thus  brought  up  from  a  child,  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  which  were  able  to  make  him 
wise  unto  salvation — but  how  ?  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  to 
whom,  as  a  poor  sinner,  he  was  led  for  salvation.  Then 
come  good  works,  and  not  till  then.  All  previous  works, 
how  moral  soever,  must  not  be  called  good  before  God, 
Without  faith,  it  is  impossible  to  please  him.  They 
are  the  works  of  Cain,  who  brought  of  the  fruits  of  the 
ground  in  a  self-righteous  spirit — not  of  Abel,  who  came  in 
faith  with  a  sin  offering.  Our  articles  declare  that  those 
only  are  good  works,  which  are  the  "  fruits  of  faith" — 
"  which  spring  necessarily  out  of  a  true  and  lively  faith." 
"Works  done  before  the  grace  of  Christ  and  the  inspiration 
of  the  Spirit,  are  not  pleasant  unto  God,  forasmuch  as  they 
spring  not  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ."  See  articles  12th  and 
13th. 

If  the  above  view  of  the  subject  be  correct,  how  danger- 
ous the  proposal  of  some  to  look  upon  baptized  children  as- 
little  angels,  and  to  deal  with  them  as  such,  to  keep  them  in 
their  Paradise  as  Adam  in  his  first  estate — not  regard  them 
as  fallen,  banished  spirits,  who  must  be  told  how  to  recover 
their  lost  Eden.  This  false  system  will,  in  practice,  lead 
to  various  errors.  Some  will  adopt  the  distinction  be- 
tween venial  and  mortal  sins,  the  former  of  which,  some 
think,  Adam  might  have  committed  without  losing  God's 
favor,  and  which  the  baptized  may  commit  without  for- 
feiting their  baptismal  grace.  Parents,  while  seeing  many 
things  in  their  children  which  are  certainly  not  conforma- 
ble to  God's  holy  will,  yet  still  desiring  to  hope  that  they 
have  not  forfeited  the  divine  favor,  will  be  tempted  to  this 
distinction,  and  will  thus  reduce  the  standard  of  holiness  low 
indeed.     Others  will  substitute  for  true  holiness  mere  natu- 


72 

Tal  goodness,  instinctive  kindness,  and  will  think  of  their 
children  very  differently  from  what  God's  word  would 
have  them  do.  We  know  the  partiality  of  parents — how 
blind  to  children's  faults  they  are.  Thus  will  many  desire 
to  bring  their  children  to  confirmation,  not  because  they  have 
now  obtained  the  faith  and  penitence  promised,  but  rather 
because  they  do  not  need  them,  because  they  have  never  lost 
the  grace  of  baptism.  Others  will  cherish  the  hope  that 
their  children  have  still  baptismal  grace  enough  left,  though 
much  be  lost,  to  come  to  confirmation,  in  order  to  secure  the 
grace  the  Church  has  to  give  in  that  rite,  and  thus  to  strengthen 
the  grace  of  baptism  that  remains,  but  which  is  ready  to  die. 
Who  does  not  see  the  perplexity  into  which  this  system 
must  again  bring  the  Church.  Already  has  evil  enough 
grown  out  of  it.  Ministers  have  trouble  enough  now  with 
some  parents,  who  are  anxious  to  have  their  children  pre- 
sented to  the  Bishop  for  Confirmation,  although  they  know 
nothing  of  true  faith  and  repentance.  How  much  more  of 
such  difficulty  on  this  system.  The  young,  thoughtless, 
and  pleasure  loving  ones,  if  not  notoriously  wicked,  will  be 
brought  forward  in  the  hope  of  some  undefined  good,  or 
because  others  come,  and  that  they  may  not  seem  to  renounce 
their  baptism.  But  thus  coming,  it  will  be  found  that  many 
of  them  do  not  receive  grace  sufficient  to  carry  them  a  step 
farther.  They  will  not  approach  the  Lord's  Supper.  They 
will  fear  to  bind  themselves  by  that  awful  bond ;  and  thus  the 
Church  will  be  filled  with  a  description  of  persons,  some- 
what more  than  half  members,  who  have  received  one  sac- 
rament and  the  intermediate  rite,  but  for  fear  of  being  ob- 
liged by  a  sense  of  shame,  even  before  the  ungodly,  to  aban- 
don some  things  unbecoming  persons  in  full  communion, 
will  go  no  farther.  This  is  no  caricature  or  misrepresen- 
tation, but  sad  reality — a  reality  likely  to  increase  upon  us, 
if  the  views  against  which  we  have  contended  shall  be  adopt- 
ed. Already  are  there  fearful  symptoms  of  this,  to  be  seen 
in  books  and  other  things.  This  system,  however  it  may  in 
some  minds,  and  in  the  conduct  of  some  individuals,  be  con- 
nected with  mortification,  and  sadness,  and  despair,  lest  the 
grace  of  baptism  be  lost  forever,  is  nevertheless  very  sus- 
ceptible of  adaptation  to  those  of  an  opposite  character,  and 


73 

has  ever  been  found  acceptable  to  the  pleasure  loving  and 
worldly.  Among  the  signs  in  our  Mother  Church  of  a  re- 
turn under  the  auspices  of  this  system  to  corrupt  practices  con- 
demned and  abandoned  by  the  pious  at  its  reformation,  we  may 
mention  the  proposition  of  one  of  the  leaders  among  the  Laity, 
who  advocates,  in  a  treatise  on  the  subject,  the  renewal  of 
some  of  those  Sabbath  spoits  which  the  Reformers  abolished* 
but  which  have  more  than  once,  by  persons  sympathizing 
with  such  views,  been  sought  to  be  restored. 

We  quote,  as  an  instance  of  the  manner  in  which  such 
things  are  treated,  a  few  lines  from  one  of  the  leaders  in  this 
school,  who  has  written  popular  tales  for  the  young,  to  re- 
commend its  doctrines.  His  popular  tales  have  been  print- 
ed and  industriously  circulated  in  this  country,  with  the 
same  intent.  To  those  who  desire  to  mingle  something  of 
religion,  with  more  of  earthly  pleasure,  his  work  will  be 
acceptable.  Thus  does  he  speak  of  merriment  on  one  of 
our  most  joyous  festivals,  grieving  over  the  change  produced 
in  it  by  other  views  of  religion  : 

"  England  was  merry  England,  when 

"  Old  Christmas  brought  his  sports  again; 

"  'Twas  Christmas  broach'd  the  mightiest  ale, 

"  'Twas  Christmas  told  the  merriest  tale  : 

"  A  Christmas  gambol  oft  would  cheer 

"  The  poor  man's  heart  through  half  the  year." 

Now,  when  we  recollect  how  this  ancient  and  favorite  fes- 
tival has  been  perverted  to  purposes  of  ungodly  mirth,  so 
that  with  many,  its  very  original  design  is  not  thought  of, 
perhaps  not  even  known  ;  how  its  opponents  have  adduced 
its  corruption  as  an  argument  against  its  observance  ;  how 
its  friends  have  mourned,  and  been  forced  to  acknow- 
ledge, that  through  the  fraud  and  malice  of  the  evil  one  it  is 
often  the  most  licentious  season  of  the  year,  and  when 
the  Ministers  have  sometimes  almost  dreaded  its  approach 
on  account  of  the  dissipation  attending  it,  is  it  not  to  be 
lamented  that  a  Minister  of  the  Church,  addressing  the 
young,  should  regret  that  such  scenes  have  passed  away, 
thus  weakening  the  hands  of  God's  Ministers.  And  espe- 
cially how  strangely  inconsistent  such  language  in  the  mouth 
of  one,  who  maintains  that  it  is  almost  indispensable  to  the 
sustenance  of  our  soul's  joy,  to  partake  of  the  communion,, 
7 


74 

at  least  every  Sabbath  ;  whereas  one  merriment  at  Christ- 
mas will  comfort  the  heart  of  a  poor  man  for  half  the  year. 
Such  language  from  a  Byron,  or  a  Moore,  were  not  sur- 
prising ;  but  this  comes  from  the  chaplain*  of  the  late  Bishop 
of  Oxford,  writing  for  young  Christians. 


♦Mr.  Paget's  tales. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  view  advocated  in  this  treatise  agreeable  to  the  se?iti- 
ments  of  the  early  Church  generally,  and  to  those  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  of  America. 

In  a  previous  chapter  we  have  spoken  of  the  extravagant 
opinions  held  by  some  of  the  Fathers,  and  of  the  final  issue 
of  them  in  the  established  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome, 
on  the  subject  of  baptism.  It  is  due  to  them  and  to  both  to 
say,  that  the  learned  Bingham,  whose  work  on  the  antiqui- 
ties of  the  Christian  Church  is  held  in  high  esteem  among 
those  most  strenuous  on  this  subject,  mentions  many  excep- 
tions made  by  them  to  the  necessity  of  baptism,  and  that  they  by 
no  means  restricted  the  regenerating  grace  of  God  to  that 
sacrament,  saying  "  that  the  ancients  had  not  generally  that 
rigid  opinion  about  the  absolute  necessity  of  baptism  (barring 
the  neglect  and  contempt  of  the  sacred  institution)  which  some 
%vould  father  upon  them."  As  to  the  case  of  infants,  Bing- 
ham acknowledges  that  the  language  of  many  of  the  Fa- 
thers is  very  unfavorable  to  the  hopes  of  salvation  to  those 
who  die  unbaptized  ;  but  others  speak  more  encouragingly; 
and  quotes  a  book  ascribed  to  St.  Ambrose,  in  which  he  says 
*'  that  the  reason  why  this  doctrine,  about  the  necessity  of 
baptism  for  the  salvation  of  infants,  was  so  earnestly  pressed 
upon  men,  was  that  parents  might  not  be  so  remiss  or  negli- 
gent in  bringing  their  children  to  baptism  ;  which  they  cer- 
tainly would  be,  if  they  were  once  possessed  with  an  opin- 
ion that  there  was  no  necessity  of  baptism  to  salvation." 
This  author  presses  the  necessity  of  baptizing  infants,  as  all 
good  Christians  do,  upon  the  supposition  of  some  benefits 
which  the  parents'  care  may  bring  the  child;  and  contrariwise, 
an  irreparable  damage  and  loss  which  the  child  may  sustain 
by  the  parents,'  default  and  negligence."* 

In  addition  to  this,  it  is  sufficient  to  adduce  the  testimony 
of  another  learned  divine  of  our  church,  who  has  most  care- 

*See  Bingham,  ch.  2,  book  10- 


76 

fully  examined  the  opinions  of  the  ancients,  on  the  subject  of 
infant  baptism  and  its  effects — I  mean  Mr.  Wall,  who  has 
written  two  volumes  concerning  it. 

After  showing  at  length  the  sentiments  of  St.  Austin, 
which  however  strong  in  some  points,  were  entirely  opposed 
to  the  idea  of  any  inward  change  in  baptism,  and  clearly  distin- 
guished between  the  sacrament  of  baptism  and  the  conver- 
sion of  the  heart,  which  he  said  were  often  separated — he 
thus  concludes  :  "  Most  of  the  Pcedo  Baptists  go  no  further 
than  St.  Austin  does  ;  they  hold  that  God  by  his  Spirit  does, 
at  the  time  of  baptism,  seal  and  apply  to  the  infant  that  is 
there  dedicated  to  him  the  promises  of  the  covenant  of  which 
he  is  capable,  viz  :  adoption,  pardon  of  sin,  translation  from 
the  state  of  nature  to  that  of  grace,  etc.  ;  on  which  account 
the  infant  is  said  to  be  regenerated  of  (or  by)  the  Spirit. 
Not  that  God  does  by  any  miracle  at  that  time  illuminate  or 
convert  the  mind  of  the  child.  And  for  original  sin,  or  the 
corruption  of  our  nature,  they  hold  that  God  by  his  covenant 
does  abolish  the  guilt  of  it,  receives  the  child  to  his  mercy 
in  Christ,  and  consigns  to  him  by  promise,  such  grace  as 
shall  afterward,  by  the  use  of  means,  if  he  live,  be  sufficient 
to  keep  it  under,  but  not  wholly  extirpate  it  in  this  life.  It 
is  left  as  the  subject  of  trial,  and  of  a  continual  Christian  war- 
fare. And  this  is  the  opinion  of  St.  Austin,  and  of  the  an- 
cients generally."     See  vol.  1,  ch.  15. 

Doctrine  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  this  country. 

There  is  no  special  exposition  of  the  views  of  the  Church 
on  this  subject  set  forth  by  the  general  convention.  The 
nearest  approach  to  this,  is  to  be  found  in  the  explanation  of 
the  Church  Catechism,  published  by  the  Episcopal  Sunday 
School  Union,  and  most  generally  adopted  throughout  the 
church.  By  referring  to  that  catechism,  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  church  is  far  from  ascribing  to  the  ordinance  of  baptism 
all  that  some  suppose.  It  says  "  that  baptism  is  called  the 
washing  of  regeneration,  because  we  are  thereby  born  into 
a  state  of  grace  and  salvation,"  which  it  explains  to  be  "a 
state  in  which,  in  God's  church,  we  enjoy  the  means  of  be- 
ing freed  from  sin,  and  a  title  to  eternal  happiness."     But  then 


77 

k  proceeds  to  say,  "  that  in  order  to  pass  out  of  this  state  of 
grace  or  salvation,  or  kingdom  of  God  on  earth,  into  the 
state  of  glory,  we  must  become  new  creatures  ;"  thereby  de- 
claring, that  another  change  beside  that  which  takes  place  at 
baptism,  must  pass  on  our  souls  before  we  can  be  saved." 
In  answer  to  the  question  "  what  is  meant  by  our  being 
made  children  of  grace  in  baptism,"  it  is  said,  "  as  children 
of  grace  we  enjoy  a  title  to  that  immortality  which  was  for- 
feited in  Adam,"  and  "that  we  enjoy  through  Christ,  and  by 
his  Holy  Spirit,  the  means  and  the  promises  of  deliverance 
from  the  power  of  original  corruption,  and  from  the  conse- 
quences of  actual  sins — the  present  and  everlasting  displea- 
sure of  God." 

If  the  sentiments  of  the  Bishops  of  the  Church  at  any 
given  time,  and  the  same  so  far  sanctioned  by  the  house  of 
clerical  and  lay  delegates,  as  to  be  laid  before  the  whole 
church  for  consideration  is  worthy  of  respect,  that  can  also 
be  furnished  in  the  support  of  the  above. 

In  the  year  1836  certain  changes  were  proposed  by  the 
house  of  Bishops  as  to  the  reading  of  the  service  and  lessons, 
and  together  with  them  the  following  is  found,  concerning  a 
prayer  in  the  confirmation  service:  "  And  to  correct  the  in- 
jurious misapprehension,  as  to  the  meaning  of  certain  terms, 
in  the  first  collect  in  the  office  of  confirmation,  the  Bishops 
tmanimously  propose  the  following  resolution  :  Resolved, 
That  after  the  first  collect  in  the  office  of  confirmation,  the 
following  be  inserted,  to  be  used  at  the  discretion  of  the 
Bishop,  instead  of  the  first  collect :  "  Almighty  and  ever  liv- 
ing God,  who  hast  vouchsafed  in  baptism  to  regenerate  these 
thy  servants  by  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  thus  giving  them 
a  title  to  all  the  blessings  of  thy  covenant  of  mercy  in  thy 
son  Jesus  Christ,  etc." 

By  turning  to  the  Confirmation  service,  we  find  that  the 
prayer  for  which  this  may  be  substituted  reads  thus  :  "  Al- 
mighty and  ever  living  God,  who  ha^t  vouchsafed  to  regene- 
rate these  thy  servants  by  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
hast  given  unto  them  forgiveness  of  all  their  sins,"  &c.  It 
will  be  perceived  that  the  words,  "  thus  giving  them  a  title 
to  all  the  blessings  of  thy  covenant  of  mercy  in  Christ  Jesus," 
are  additional,  and  evidently  explanatory,  designed  to  fix  the 


78 

meaning  of  the  words  "regenerated  by  water  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  which  are  used  in  the  baptismal  service,  and  repeated 
in  the  confirmation  service,  but  without  explanation.  This  ad- 
dition would  have  answered  the  same  purpose  as  the  27th  arti- 
cle, with  whose  doctrine  it  coincides.  That  teashes  that  bap- 
tism is  the  seal  of  adoption  ;  this,  that  it  is  a  conditional  title 
to  salvation.  As  the  adoption  did  not  necessarily  alter  the 
nature  of  the  child,  and  might  prove  unavailing,  so  the  title 
gave  no  new  nature,  and  might  be  forfeited  by  a  failure  on 
the  part  of  the  baptized  to  fulfil  his  part  in  the  engagement. 
It  will  be  seen  that  the  bishops,  in  proposing  this  change, 
urge  as  a  reason  that  it  was  to  "  correct  injurious  misappre- 
hensions as  to  the  meaning  of  certain  terms."  Now,  what 
could  this  be,  but  some  high  views  of  a  moral  change  effected 
in  baptism,  which  are  often  imputed  to  our  Church,  and 
which  seem  to  be  expressed  by  [the  term,  regenerated  by 
water  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  Of  this  the  author  entertains 
not  the  shadow  of  a  doubt.* 


*  On  the  design  of  the  proposed  substitute. — That  such  was  the  object  in 
the  proposed  substitute,  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  it  was  pro- 
posed by  Bishop  Hobart,  and  exactly  corresponds  with  his  sentiments 
as  set  forth  in  his  explanation  of  the  Catechism,  and  more  fully  enlarged 
on  in  his  tract  on  Confirmation ;  bcth  of  which  documents  have  been 
generally  received  by  the  Church  as  expressing  her  views.  But  the 
matter  is  placed  beyond  doubt  by  the  following  extract  from  a  private 
letter  of  Bishop  Hobart,  addressed  to  myself  and  a  particular  friend. 
"The  expressions  in  the  prayer  are  liable  to  be  misunderstood,  and 
create  serious  objections  on  the  part  of  many,  I  have  found,  to  using  the 
ordinance.  The  object  of  the  proposed  prayer  was  not  to  relinquish 
the  expression  of  regeneration,  as  applied  to  baptism,  but  to  guard 
against  the  misconstruction  that  would  make  this  synonimous  with  re- 
novation, sanctification,  conversion,  or  any  other  term  by  which  the  re- 
newing of  the  Holy  Ghost  might  be  denoted."  It  appears,  then,  that 
the  object  of  the  house  of  Bishops  in  proposing  it,  and  of  the  other  house 
in  acceding  to  it,  was  to  fix  the  meaning  of  this  passage,  and  to  declare 
that  other  meanings  considered  injurious  to  the  Church  were  not  cor- 
rectly ascribed  to  her. 

This  proposition  was  connected  with  sundry  others  relative  to  the 
abridgment  of  the  Liturgy,  which  excited  uneasiness  in  the  minds  of 
many  who  feared  any  thing  like  innovation,  and  therefore  the  whole  was 
withdrawn  at  the  next  General  Convention,  though  the  author  does  not 
remember,  or  believe,  that  any  objection  was  made  to  this  alteration. 
What  occurred,  however,  was  sufficient  to  show  the  general  sense  of  the 
Church  on  the  subject:     What  was  thus  proposed  by  the  bishops  and 


79 

The  next  document  which  we  shall  adduce,  is  a  report  on 
the  subject  of  education  to  the, General  Convention  of  1841, 
by  a  committee  appointed  in  the  previous  Convention  of 
1838,  "to  take  into  consideration  the  subject  of  the  Chris- 
tian education  of  the  youth  of  both  sexes,  in  accordance  with 
the  principles  of  the  Church."  Being  referred  to  a  commit- 
tee of  the  house  of  Bishops  and  approved,  it  was,  by  a  joint 
vote  of  both  houses  of  Convention,  "referred  to  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Sunday 
School  Union  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  to  be 
printed  and  distributed,"  which  was  accordingly  done. 
The  following  extracts  will  show  its  general  character: 
The  depravity  of  our  nature  is  the  great  point  insisted  on. 
"  In  the  subject  of  education  she  does  not  see  an  infant  angel, 
but  a  child  of  fallen  man  going  astray  from  the  womb.  For 
an  emblem  of  the  unfolding  of  man's  moral  nature,  the  Church 
does  not  look  to  the  oak,  which,  as  soon  as  it  has  left  its 
germ,  begins  to  expand  its  sturdy  trunk,  as  by  an  inherent 


clergy  at  that  convention,  was  afterwards  spoken  of  by  Bishop  Gris- 
wold  in  one  of  his  sermons,  shewing  the  difference  between  regenera- 
tion, as  used  by  the  Church,  and  renovation.  After  explaining  and  jus- 
tifying the  doctrine  of  the  Church,  he  remarks,  "In  the  present  state  of 
religion,  there  is,  we  have  observed,  some  confusion  in  the  use  of  theo- 
logical terms.  Christians  hear  them,  every  one  in  his  own  language, 
and  in  the  tongue  wherein  he  was  born.  This  makes  it  necessary  for 
us  frequently  to  make  these  explanations.  An  alteration  in  some  few 
expressions  in  our  Liturgy  would  make  these  explanations  less  neces- 
sary, and  would  remove  one  great  obstacle  to  the  success  of  our  labors. 
But  till  such  alteration,  by  the  permission  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  his 
Church,  shall  be  made,  let  us  be  careful  rightly  to  understand  her  lan- 
guage, and  to  embrace  her  sound  scriptural  doctrine:" 

One  word  is  added  as  to  the  opinion  of  Bishop  White.  Although  he 
contends  most  strenuously  for  the  doctrine  of  baptismal  regeneration, 
and  would  have  that  word  applied  only  to  baptism,  and  is  very  strong 
in  his  affirmation  that  the  grace  of  baptism  may,  if  used,  render  unne- 
cessary that  deep  repentance  for  which  we  contend,  and  is  entirely  op- 
posed to  the  doctrine  of  sensible  conversions,  and  objects  to  the  use  of 
the  word  conversion  as  to  the  baptized,  yet  still  declares  that  "no 
considerate  person  supposes  that  in  infant  baptism  any  moral  change  is 
wrought  in  the  mind  of  an  infant,"  and  speaks  of  some  who  regard  "re- 
generation as  a  species  of  mechanical  operation  on  a  being  without 
ideas,  and  incapable  of  the  exercise  of  the  intellectual  faculty."  See  his 
work  on  the  Catechism,  p.  214 — 222.  The  necessity  of  baptism,  ill 
■order  to  the  salvation  of  those  dying  in  infancy,  he  utterly  rejects. 


80 

power,  and  to  rear  its  head  aloft,  as  though  its  sympathies 
and  its  alliances  were  with  the  Heavens ;  but  to  the  vine, 
the  degenerate  plant  of  a  strange  vine,  which  has  no  sooner 
burst  its  seed,  than  it  begins  to  droop  its  head  and  shew  its 
earthward  tendency,  and  can  mount  upward  only  as  some 
object  is  kindly  interposed  to  which  it  may  cling,  and  by 
which  it  may  ascend."  By  bringing  this  sinful  child  and 
entering  it  into  the  Church  of  Christ,  "  he  acquires  a  claim, 
a  covenanted  claim,  to  those  great  and  precious  promises, 
whereby  we  become  partakers  of  the  divine  nature.  God 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  in  whose  sacred  name  he 
was  baptized,  is  pledged  to  bestow  his  blessing  on  the  means 
used  for  his  improvement.  The  Church  recognising  his 
adoption,  commits  him  to  the  care  of  suitable  teachers,  and 
assigns  to  him  his  lessons."  "A  sinner  has  not  taken  the 
first  step  in  the  salvation  of  his  own  soul  till  he  has  come  to 
Christ.  All  his  future  goings  depend  on  that ;  it  is  the  germ 
of  his  Christian  life."  "  Now  the  office  of  a  parent  for  the 
passive  babe  committed  to  his  charge,  is  precisely  that  of  a 
sinner  for  his  own  soul."  "  The  mode  of  bringing  a  soul 
to  Christ  is  two-fold :  the  first  in  order  is,  by  exercising  a 
true  faith  in  prayer  to  God  in  his  behalf  immediately  on  his 
birth,  yea,  even  before  his  birth.  But  this  is  not  all.  There 
is  still  another  way — a  more  visible  way — of  exercising  the 
same  faith  and  the  same  prayer  unto  the  same  great  end, 
which  the  parent  must  observe,  if  he  would  fulfill  all  right- 
eousness. Every  sinner  who  trul)  repents  and  unfeignedly 
believes  in  Jesus  Christ  unto  salvation  has  come  to  Christ; 
but  there  is  a  visible  act,  an  outward  expression  of  faith  and 
repentance  and  obedience,  in  which,  according  to  his  mas- 
ter's law,  he  is  to  come  to  him,  and  before  men  to  confess 
to  him.  His  faith  and  obedience  are  both  defective  until  he 
has  done  that.  That  act  is  baptism.  By  baptism  he  puts 
on  Christ  professedly,  as  by  faith  he  puts  on  Christ  spiritu- 
ally. He  is  baptized  into  Christ."  "  So  when  the  Chris- 
tian parent  would  fully  bring  his  child  to  Christ,  besides  do- 
ing it  in  the  spirit,  he  must  do  it  also  in  the  outward  act." 
Baptism  is  "placing  the  little  one  immediately  in  the  nur- 
sery of  the  Lord — into  fellowship  with  the  family  of  his  peo- 
ple— surrounding  him  with  all  the  means  of  grace;  binding 


81 

him  by  solemn  covenant  with  God  to  live  as  becometh  the 
Gospel;  receiving  in  his  behalf  every  prayer  that  any  believer 
may  offer  up  for  the  Church  of  God."  The  report  dwells 
much  on  the  duty  of  seeking",  by  means  of  a  religious  edu- 
cation, the  earliest  possible  piety  in  the  child.  Some  of  the 
last  sentences  just  quoted  from  the  report,  are  taken  from 
the  preface  of  Bishop  Mcllvaine  to  a  volume  of  sermons  by 
English  divines.  In  that  preface,  of  which  we  purpose  to 
make  further  and  larger  use  in  another  chapter,  the  duty  of 
seeking,  by  the  means  of  faithful  religious  training,  in  reli- 
ance on  the  Divine  blessing,  the  earliest  possible  piety,  is 
most  impressively  set  forth.  Of  course  it  need  not  be  stated 
that  he  did  not  ground  this  duty  and  hope  on  the  belief  of  a 
moral  change  wrought  in  the  child  at  baptism,  nothing  being 
more  contrary  to  the  well  known  sentiments  of  that  writer. 
The  extracts,  however,  will  serve  to  shew,  that  those  who 
reject  the  assumption  of  the  fact  of  such  moral  renovation, 
are  not  on  that  account  the  less  zealous  in  urging  an  early 
attention  to  the  souls  of  children,  on  the  ground  of  a  firm  be- 
lief of  their  capability  of  receiving  benefit  thereby. 

The  author  would  also  take  the  liberty  of  referring  to  a 
treatise  of  his  own,  published  fifteen  years  ago,  and  repub- 
lished four  or  five  times  since,  in  which  he  set  forth  the  same 
views  advocated  now.  He  is  particularly  induced  to  this, 
from  the  fact  that  the  treatise,  in  an  abridged  form,  has  been 
adopted  by  one  of  the  largest  tract  societies  in  our  Church,* 
as  setting  forth  the  true  doctrines  of  the  Church.  As  this 
chapter  is  employed  in  shewing,  as  accurately  as  can  be  as- 
certained, the  general  sentiments  of  the  Church  hitherto,  he 
will  introduce  some  passages  from  it.  The  treatise  referred 
to  is  one  on  Confirmation.  In  it  the  following  passages  may 
be  found:  "Our  Church  never  lets  go  her  hold  on  her  bap- 
tized children— never  willingly — never,  but  through  the  un- 
faithfulness of  sponsors,  parents,  or  ministers,  or  the  per- 
verseness  of  children  when  they  come  to  age.  It  is  not  her 
doctrine — let  them  be  baptized,  then  turned  adrift  on  the  wide 
world,  and  regarded  even  as  the  children  of  foreigners  and 
strangers — perchance  at  some  future  daythey  may  flee  to 

*The  Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  Society  located  in  New  York. 


82 

the  ark  of  safety.  It  says  to  those  who  undertake  for  them, 
bring  up  these  little  ones,  not  as  the  children  of  a  king,  but 
as  the  adopted  and  beloved  children  of  the  King  of  Kings 
and  Lord  of  Lords.  Shew  them  tenderness  and  reverence  as 
those  for  whom  a  Savior  died,  and  who  may  one  day  be  an- 
gels of  light  in  the  kingdom  of  glory."  "We  must  keep  our 
eyes  and  our  hearts  ever  upon  them;  we  must  watch  each 
opening  faculty  and  budding  affection,  and  seek  to  train  them 
towards  Heaven."  "Holy  indeed  is  the  relation  which  God 
has  established  between  parents  and  their  children.  Great 
is  the  influence  which  he  has  given  the  former  over  the  latter, 
and  great  must  be  the  guilt  of  neglecting  to  use  it.  There  is 
a  docility  and  credulity  implanted  in  the  minds  of  the  young, 
which  inclines  them  to  receive,  believe,  and  do,  whatever 
shall  be  taught  them  by  those  to  whom  Providence  has  en- 
trusted their  education.  And  woe  be  to  those  who  shall  ne- 
glect to  make  the  best  use  of  this  wise  and  gracious  consti- 
tution of  their  nature."  "The  Church  seeks  to  do  her  part. 
At  baptism  she  solemnly  dedicates  them  to  God ;  then  con- 
fides them  to  the  arms  of  parents,  or  other  suitable  persons, 
to  be  trained  up  for  Heaven,  with  most  positive  injunction 
to  do  their  parts  faithfully.  In  confirmation,  she  sends  one 
of  her  chief  ministers  to  see  how  those  duties  have  been  per- 
formed, and  what  has  been  the  fruit  thereof.  As  to  the  chil- 
dren, the  Bishop  thus  speaks:  This  rite  of  the  Church  is 
designed  to  speak  in  the  most  emphatic  language  to  the 
young,  and  tell  them  that  God  expects  them  to  seek  him 
early,  and  promised  that  they  shall  find  him.  There  is  to 
each  one  of  us  a  fearfully  interesting  period  when  responsi- 
bility begins.  We  know  not  what  that  period  is,  and  our 
ignorance  of  it  ought  to  make  the  young  most  anxious  to 
enter  into  God's  service  at  the  very  first  moment  they  are 
capable  of  it.  I  come  this  day,  not  to  call  upon  those  who 
have  reached,  not  the  age  of  fourteen,  of  thirteen,  of  ten,  or 
of  any  lesser  age,  to  give  themselves  to  the  service  of  God 
—for  I  dare  not  specify  any  age,  lest  God  should  have  ap- 
pointed an  earlier,  and  lest  I  should  encourage  any  to  put  off 
this  first  of  duties  a  moment  beyond  the  time  when  it  be- 
comes practicable,  and  when  God  demands  it.  I  come  to 
say  to  all,  however  young,  who  are  capable  of  understand- 


83 

ing  our  holy  religion,  that  it  is  their  duty  to  embrace  it 
heartily,  and  that  every  moment's  delay  is  danger  and  crime. 
My  dear  young  friends,  when  you  find  that  your  minds  are 
capable  of  understanding,  and  your  hearts  of  loving  so  many 
things  here  below,  ought  you  not  to  tremble  when  you  find 
that  you  do  not  understand  and  love  the  best  of  all  things? 
Many  at  an  early  age  have  become  truly  pious,  and  truly 
happy  in  their  piety;  and  should  not  this  make  you  very 
fearful,  lest  if  death  now  seize  you,  your  immortal  souls 
should  be  lost  forever?"  On  the  subject  of  baptism  being 
a  means  of  grace,  it  says:  "  Who  shall  say  how,  even  at 
some  distant  day,  according  to  the  economy  of  grace,  the 
faithful  dedication  of  him  to  God,  his  baptism  in  the  name 
of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  the  fervent  prayers  offered 
up,  the  pious  instruction  delivered  in  his  early  years,  may 
have  contributed  to  his  late  conversion ;  and  will  he  not  take 
pleasure  in  reverting  to  these  holy  exercises  ?  The  times 
and  the  seasons,  and  the  hearts  of  men,  are  in  the  hands  of 
God,  and  he  can  and  does  make  the  prayers  of  the  faithful, 
and  the  instructions  of  the  pious,  effectual  just  when  and  how 
he  pleases;  and  that  which  appears  to  be  lost  is  often  found, 
though  after  many  days.  I  find  that  some  of  the  most  emi- 
nently wise  and  pious  have  ever  been  disposed  to  ascribe 
their  conversion,  which  took  place  at  a  later  period,  to  the 
revival  of  some  impression  made  on  their  almost  infant  mind 
by  the  instruction  of  pious  parents,  or  else  have  considered 
it  as  the  answer  to  prayers  long  since  offered,  and  now  made 
effectual.  Nor  can  I,  in  this,  see  any  thing  either  unreason- 
able or  unscriptural." 

In  another  tract — on  religious  education — the  author  thus 
expressed  the  same  sentiment:  "The  seed  sown  in  the  heart 
of  a  child  may  lie  long  without  vegetating,  and  yet  without 
perishing."  "Why  may  not  the  word  of  truth,  deposited 
in  the  mind  at  an  early  period,  and  remembered  and  thought 
upon  afterward,  be  the  means  of  conversion,  as  well  as  that 
heard  at  a  later  period  ?" 

This  chapter  will  be  concluded,  by  referring  to  some  ex- 
tracts in  an  address  of  the  author  to  the  convention  in  1844, 
in  which  it  was  shewn,  thaj  the  other  churches  of  the  Refor- 
mation, m  their  Confessions  of  Faith,  used  the  same  terms 


84 

in  speaking  of  baptism  with  those  which  are  objected  to  in 
our  services.  "Archbishop  Tillotson  speaks  of  the  prayers 
in  those  churches,  in  their  offices  for  baptism,  saying  that 
the  language  used  is  the  same  with  ours,  and  that  we  need 
not  scruple  to  use  what  is  provided  in  our  own.  But  then 
he  utterly  condemns  those  extravagant  meanings  that  are 
given  to  the  words  objected  to ;  for  he  says  that  the  Church, 
in  saying  that  the  children  are  regenerated  in  baptism,  means 
that,  by  entering  into  this  covenant,  they  are  put  into  a  state 
and  capacity  of  all  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  if  they  do 
not  neglect  the  conditions  which  that  covenant  requires  on 
their  part."  Such  is  the  very  view  presented  by  the  docu- 
ments of  our  church  in  this  country,  which  have  been  ad- 
duced above. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

On  sponsors,  and  the  interrogatories  i?i  baptism. 

In  the  foregoing  treatise  we  have  presented  it  as  a  leading 
idea  or  principle,  that  the  children  of  Christians  are  children 
of  promise,  of  many  and  precious  promises,  by  receiving 
which  they  may  become  partakers  of  a  divine  nature,  es- 
caping the  corruption  of  this  world  through  lust.  That 
these  premises,  made  generally  to  all  before  they  began  to 
exist,  are  of  course  really  theirs  as  soon  as  they  have  any 
being ;  that  they  are  signed  and  sealed  to  each  one  in  baptism  ; 
that,  as  the  apostle  said,  if  any  one  of  the  parents  were  be- 
lievers, their  children  were  holy — that  is,  had  a  right  to  be 
entered  into  the  church  in  order  to  become  holy  in  the  high- 
est sense  ;  that  therefore,  all  children  born  of  Christian  pa- 
rents have  a  right  to  baptism,  the  promise  being  to  Abraham 
and  his  seed,  and  to  the  converts  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  and 
their  seed.  This  is  not  a  principle  peculiar  to  us  as  Chris- 
tians. It  runs  through  the  whole  economy  of  God's  appoint- 
ments for  man — belongs  to  the  very  constitution  of  our  nature. 
Children,  originally  a  part  of  their  parents,  afterwards  pro- 
perly called  bone  of  their  bone,  flesh  of  their  flesh,  are  for 
a  long  time  most  dependent  on  them — the  most  helpless  and 
dependent  of  all  animals  on  earth — have  always  under  every 
dispensation,  human  or  divine,  been  made  subject  to  the  will 
of  parents,  who  had  a  right  to  act  for  them,  and  choose  for 
them,  and  contract  for  them,  as  might  seem  best  for  their 
temporal  or  spiritual  interests.  These  are  rights  which  pa- 
rents have  over  their  children,  in  acting  for  them,  even  as 
over  themselves.  These  are  privileges  also,  which  children 
have  by  reason  of  their  birth,  of  which  no  man  should  de- 
prive them.  They  have  always  been  secured  to  them  by 
the  laws  and  usages  of  every  age  and  country.  The  privil- 
ege of  church  membership,  and  the  inheritance  of  God's 
promises,  are  secured  by  God  himself  to  the  children  of  Chris- 
tians now,  as  they  once  were  to  the  children  of  the  Jews. 
Whatever  sign  or  token  of  this  may  have  been  appointed,  is 


86 

theirs  also.  But  here  a  question  arises  which  has  caused 
some  difference  of  sentiment.  What  constitutes  children  the 
children  of  promise,  entitling  them  to  be  enrolled  among  the 
people  of  God.  Is  real  piety  in  one  or  both  of  the  parents 
required  in  order  to  this  ;  and  if  this  be  wanting,  must  the 
children  be  deprived  of  the  seal  of  the  covenant  ?  Must  they 
though  in  a  Christian  land  be,  as  it  were,  out  of  the  Church 
of  God,  until  and  unless  at  a  future  period  they  seek  admis- 
sion for  themselves  ?  On  seeking  the  will  of  God  on  this 
point  in  his  word,  we  find  that  provision  was  made  not  only 
for  the  children  of  the  Jews,  but  also  for  servants  bought 
with  money,  and  strangers — that  is,  persons  of  other  coun- 
tries, coming  in  among  them,  and  placed  in  circumstances 
favorable  for  the  acquirement  of  truth  ;  that  these  also  might  be 
admitted  into  covenant ;  that  Abraham  circumcised  his  whole 
household  of  servants  and  their  little  ones.  We  have  also 
seen  what  was  the  understanding  and  practice  of  the  Jews 
on  the  subject;  that  they  allowed  any  pious  and  charitable 
persons  to  adopt  the  children  of  the  heathen,  or  such  as  were 
orphans  among  them,  and  to  enter  them  into  covenant;  they 
.also  permitted  the  court  or  consistory,  composed  of  grave 
persons,  to  have  this  done  for  any  such  children,— of  course, 
making  it  a  condition  that  they  be  trained  up  in  the  Jewish 
faith,  that  being  the  great  object  of  the  appointed  rite  of  ini- 
tiation. The  advantages  of  such  a  provision  are  obvious. 
The  same  course  was  adopted  by  the  Christian  Church  from 
the  first.  All  children  born  of  parents  professing  to  believe 
in  the  Christian  religion,  whether  truly  pious  or  not — a  point 
impossible  often  times  to  be  ascertained — all  born  amongst 
Christians,  so  that  they  might  be  brought  up  in  the  Christian 
faith,  were  considered  as  proper  subjects  for  baptism.  If 
their  parents  were  not  truly  pious,  or  even  not  believers^ 
they  might  have  grandfathers  or  grandmothers,  or  other  near 
relatives  who  were,  and  who  were  chiefly  interested  for 
these  children  ;  and  if  the  parents  were  willing,  who  would 
deny  this  privilege  to  the  children  and  those  who  would  un- 
dertake for  their  religious  instruction  ?  Moreover,  it  was 
ever  considered  that  the  whole  church — the  faithful — were 
considered  as  the  mother  of  all  children  born  in  her  bosom, 
or  of  such  as  might  be  placed  under  her  care,  just  as  the 


87 

children  born,  in  Greece  or  Rome  were  considered  as  chil- 
dren of  those  republics,  and  were  subject  to  the  laws  they 
made  for  them. 

Thus  St.  Austin  says:  "For  infants  are  offered,  not  so 
much  by  those  in  whose  hands  they  are  brought,  (though  by 
those,  too,  if  they  be  good,  faithful  Christians,)  as  by  the 
whole  congregation  of  faithful  men  ;  for  they  are  rightly  said 
to  be  offered  by  all  those  whose  desire  it  is  that  they  should 
be  offered,  or  by  whose  united  charity  they  are  assisted  to- 
wards the  communication  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  So  that  the 
whole  Church  of  the  Saints  does  this  office  as  a  mother* 
For  the  whole  Church  brings  forth  all  her  children,  and  the 
whole  brings  forth  each  particular."  Again.  "Whereas 
you  see  that  a  great  many  are  offered,  not  by  their  parents, 
but  by  any  other  persons,  as  the  infant  slaves  are  some- 
times offered  by  their  masters.  And  sometimes,  when  the 
parents  are  dead,  the  infants  are  baptized,  being  offered  by 
any  who  can  afford  to  shew  this  compassion  on  them.  And 
sometimes  infants,  whom  parents  have  cruelly  exposed  to  be 
brought  up  by  those  that  light  on  them,  are  now  and  then 
taken  up  by  the  holy  virgins,  and  offered  to  baptism  by  those 
who  have  no  children  of  their  own,  nor  design  to  have  any. 
And  in  all  this  there  is  nothing  else  done  than  what  is  writ- 
ten in  the  Gospel,  when  our  Lord  asked,  who  was  neighbor 
to  him  that  was  wounded  by  thieves,  and  left  half  dead  in  the 
road  ?  And  it  was  answered,  he  that  had  mercy  on  him.'* 
The  Church,  therefore,  adopts  the  children  presented  to  God 
in  baptism.  And  here  we  see  one  of  the  reasons  why  she 
requires  it  to  be  done  in  the  congregation,  because  it  is  a 
joint  act  of  the  faithful,  and  should  be  done  with  united 
prayer.  God  only  commands  the  ordinance,  and  says  in 
whose  name  it  must  be  done,  and  with  what  object  in  view, 
leaving  the  Church  to  see  that  it  be  performed  in  a  proper 
manner,  as  to  prayers  and  the  persons  who  take  a  prominent 
part  in  it.  In  the  Jewish  Church  grave  persons  were  cho- 
sen, whether  parents  or  others,  who  presented  the  children; 
and  at  the  time  there  was  set  forth  the  true  nature  of  the 
transaction — what  it  looked  forward  to.  Solemn  promises 
were  also  required  in  behalf  of  the  recipient  of  the  rite.  So 
It  was  in  the  Christian  Church.     And  it  was  most  impor- 


tant  that  such  an  exhibition  of  the  design  of  the  ordinance 
should  be  made,  showing  that  its  efficacy  depended  on  the 
right  use  made  of  it  in  after  years.*  Otherwise  it  might 
have  been  supposed,  that  all  was  done  in  a  moment  by  the 
very  act,  and  as  by  magic.  Notwithstanding  all  the  pro- 
visions to  the  contrary,  supersition  and  ignorance  have  too  of- 
ten regarded  it  in  that  light. 

It  will  be  perceived  from  the  foregoing  remarks,  thatwe 
highly  esteem  that  arrangement  in  our  Church  which  admits 
the  baptism  of  all  children  as  children  of  the  Church,  (even 
though  their  parents  be  unsuitable  to  present  them,)  when 
proper  persons  are  appointed  for  the  purpose.  It  is  the 
duty  of  the  Church  not  merely  to  see  that  pious  ministers  be 
provided  for  receiving  them,  but  pious  persons  for  presenting 
them — the  parents,  if  such,  always  to  be  preferred.  The 
propriety  of  this  is  most  evident,  from  the  questions  pro- 
pounded to  the  child,  and  which  must  be  answered  by  its 
representative.  I  need  not  dwell  on  the  inconsistency  of 
appointing  persons  to  utter  such  solemn  answers  who  neither 
feel  nor  believe,  and  of  enjoining  it  on  them  to  see  that  these 
children  be  trained  up  according  to  those  principles  and  pre- 
cepts which  they  themselves  neither  believe  nor  heed.  Even 
earthly  courts,  in  choosing  guardians  for  orphan  children, 
feel  bound  to  have  reference  to  such  qualities  as  will  pro- 


*St.  Paul,  in  answer  to  the  question  supposed  to  be  put  to  him, 
""what  advantage,  then,  hath  the  Jew,  or  what  profit  is  there  in  circum- 
cision?" replies,  "much  every  way.  Chiefly  because  unto  them  are  com- 
mitted the  lively  oracles  of  God."  This  is  the  chief  blessing,  because  it 
is  the  instrument  chiefly  used  by  the  Spirit  for  the  salvation  of  man. 
Thus  at  circumcision,  the  Jews  blessed  God  for  sanctifying  them  with 
the  commandants.  Thus  David  said,  "the  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect, 
converting  the  soul."  Thus  our  Lord  said,  "sanctify  them  through 
thy  truth,  thy  word  is  truth."  Thus  the  Church,  in  the  communion 
service,  prays  God  to  bless  and  sanctify  the  elements  with  the  word  as 
"well  as  Spirit.  Thus  one  of  the  Jewish  Rabbis  says,  "beloved  are  Is- 
rael, in  that  they  are  called  the  children  of  God."  And  it  was  an  addi- 
tional love  that  acquainted  them  with  their  being  actually  called  the 
children  of  God.  As  it  is  said,  "ye  are  the  children  of  the  Lord  your 
God."  "  Beloved  are  Israel,  to  whom  was  given  that  delectable  instru- 
ment wherewith  (that  is,  according  to  which)  the  world  was  created;" 
alluding  to  the  wisdom,  the  good  doctrine  of  which  Solomon  speaks, 
and  which  is  to  be  found  in  God's  word. 


89 

mote  the  best  interests  of  the  children.  Sometimes,  indeed, 
these  courts  exercise  the  right  of  taking  children  out  of  the 
hands  of  unworthy  parents  and  guardians,  and  appointing 
others  in  their  stead.* 

The  Interrogatories. 

And  this  brings  me  to  the  second  point  proposed  to  he 
€onsidered  in  this  chapter,  viz  :  the  interrogatories  to  chil- 
dren. There  has  always  been  some  difference  of  opinion  as 
to  the  expediency  of  this  part  of  our  baptismal  service, 
Some  of  the  Reformers  themselves  were  doubtful  about  it, 
perhaps  opposed  to  it,  and  hoped  it  would  one  day  be  abol- 
ished. The  Puritans  were  much  opposed  to  it,  and  made 
efforts,  at  different  times,  for  its  removal.  It  was  alleged  to 
be  contrary  to  fact — to  be  a  mere  fiction,  and  ought  not  to  be 
admitted  into  so  grave  a  service — that  children,  who  were 
unconscious  of  any  thing  which  was  said,  were  addressed 
■even  as  men,  and  supposed  to  answer  through  their  spon- 
sors, and  promise  what  many  would  never  perform. 

*  Among  the  Jews,  when  a  male  child  was  born,  it  was  customary 
for  a  God-father  to  be  chosen  from  amongst  his  relations  or  friends,  if 
they  were  able  to  incur  the  expenses,  which  consisted  in  presents  and  a 
rich  breakfast.  As  to  the  poor,  they  either  got  rich  persons  to  be 
sponsors,  or  else  applied  to  a  society,  which  appointed  one  of  their  num- 
ber to  become  such,  and  appropriated  a  certain  sum  of  money  for  pres- 
ents and  a  breakfast.  No  doubt  this  custom  was  much  abused,  and 
laid  the  foundation  for  a  similar  practice  at  the  baptism  of  Christian 
children.  As  soon  as  the  God-father  entered  the  Synagogue  with  the 
«hild,  the  congregation  cried  out  "Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  to  be  cir- 
cumcised, and  enter  into  the  covenant  on  the  eighth  day."  During  the 
performance  of  the  ceremony,  the  person  officiating  says,  "Blessed  art 
thou,  0  Lord  our  God,  King  of  the  Universe,  who  hath  sanctified  us 
with  his  commandants,  and  commanded  us  circumcision."  The  ex- 
pression, "sanctified us  with  his  commandments,"  is  a  very  common  one 
in  their  religious  services.  Again  he  says,  "Blessed  art  thou,  0  Lord, 
who  hath  sanctified  his  beloved  from  the  womb,  and  ordained  an  ordi- 
nance for  his  kindred,  and  sealed  his  descendants  with  the  mark  of  his 
holy  covenant."  Again:  "Let  the  father  rejoice  in  them  that  go  forth 
from  his  loins,  and  let  the  mother  be  glad  in  the  fruit  of  her  womb.'* 
And  again:  "1  passed  by  thee,  and  saw  thee  polluted  in  thy  blood,  and. 
I  said  unto  thee,  in  thy  blood  shalt  thou  live."  Again:  "This  little 
one,  may  he  live  to  be  great;  and  as  he  hath  entered  into  the  covenant, 
.-30  may  he  enter  into  the  law,  the  canopy,  and  good  deeds." 


90 

This  difficulty  did  not  first  arise  at  the  Reformation.  We 
read  of  it  in  the  early  ages,  where  the  same  method  pre- 
vailed. At  that  time,  indeed,  it  was  expressed  in  a  more 
imposing  manner  ;  whereas,  now,  it  is  asked,  M  Dost  thou, 
in  the  name  of  this  child,  renounce  the  devil  and  all  his 
works?"  etc.;  then,  it  was  asked,  "Does  this  child  re- 
nounce?" "  Does  this  child  believe  ?"  and  so  on.  The  an- 
swer in  each  case  was,  "  He  does." 

This  appeared  then,  as  now,  strange  and  improper  to 
some.  A  bishop,  by  the  name  of  Boniface,  addresses  a 
letter  to  the  celebrated  St.  Austin,  on  this  subject,  stating 
the  difficulty  thus  :  "  Suppose  I  set  before  you  an  infant, 
and  ask  you  whether,  when  he  grows  up,  he  will  be  a  chaste 
man,  or  whether  he  will  be  a  thief.  Your  answer,  doubtless, 
will  be,  I  cannot  tell.  And  whether  he,  in  that  infant  age, 
have  any  good  or  evil  thought.  You  will  say,  I  know  not. 
Since,  therefore,  you  dare  not  say  any  thing  concerning  his 
future  behaviour,  or  his  present  thoughts,  what  is  the  mean- 
ing, that  when  they  are  brought  to  baptism,  their  parents,  as 
sponsors  for  them,  make  answer  and  say,  that  they  do  that 
which  that  age  can  have  no  thoughts  of,  or,  if  they  have, 
nobody  knows  what  they  are  ?  For  we  ask  those  by  whom 
they  are  brought,  and  say,  does  he  believe  in  God?  Con- 
cerning that  age  which  has  no  knowledge  whether  there  be 
a  God  or  not,  they  answer,  he  does  believe.  And  so,  in 
like  manner,  answer  is  made  to  all  the  rest.  So  that  I  won- 
der how  the  parents  do,  in  those  matters,  answer  so  confi- 
dently for  the  child,  that  he  does  this  or  that,  which  the  bap- 
tize! demands  at  his  baptism.  And  yet  if,  at  the  same  time, 
I  ask,  will  this  baptized  person  prove  chaste,  or  not  prove  a 
thief,  I  question  whether  any  one  dare  so  answer  he  will 
or  will  not  be  such  or  such  an  one  ;  as  they  answer,  without 
any  hesitation,  that  he  does  believe  in  God — that  he  does 
turn  to  God." 

To  this  St.  Austin  thus  replies  :  "  You  know  we  often 
express  ourselves  so,  as  that  when  Good  Friday  is  nigh,  we 
say,  to-morrow,  or  next  day,  is  our  Lord's  passion,  though 
it  be  a  great  many  years  ago  since  that  he  suffered,  and  his 
passion  never  was  performed  but  once.  So  on  the  Lord's 
day.     This  day  our  Lord  arose,  though  since  he  arose  it  be 


91 

so  many  years.  Why  is  there  no  one  so  silly  as  to  say  we 
lie,  when  we  so  speak  ?  but  for  this  reason,  because  we  give 
names  to  those  days  from  the  representation  they  make  us 
of  those  on  which  the  things  were  indeed  done  ;  so,  as  that 
is  called  the  very  day  which  is  not  the  very  day,  but  an- 
swers to  it  in  the  revolution  of  time  ;  and  that  which  is  not 
on  that  day,  but  was  done  a  long  time,  is  spoken  of  as  done 
on  that  day,  because  the  sacrament  (that  is,  sign)  of  it  is 
then  celebrated.  Was  not  Christ,  in  his  own  person,  offered 
up  (or  sacrificed)  once  for  all  ?  And  yet,  in  the  sacrament, 
he  is  offered  in  the  church,  (or  in,  or  to,  or  among  the  peo- 
ple,) not  only  every  Easter,  but  every  day;  nor  does  he  lie 
Avho,  being  asked,  says  he  is  offered.  For  sacraments  would 
not  be  sacraments,  if  they  had  not  a  resemblance  of  those 
things  whereof  they  are  sacraments;  and  from  this  resem- 
blance they  commonly  have  the  names  of  the  things  them- 
selves. As,  therefore,  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body  is, 
after  a  certain  fashion,  Christ's  body,  and  the  sacrament  of 
Christ's  blood  is  Christ's  blood,  so  the  sacrament  of  faith 
(so  baptism  was  called,  because  faith  was  required)  is  faith, 
and  to  believe  is  nothing  but  to  have  faith.  And  so,  when 
an  infant,  who  has  not  yet  the  faculty  of  faith,  is  said  to  be- 
lieve, he  is  said  to  have  faith  because  of  the  sacrament  of 
faith,  and  to  turn  to  God,  because  of  the  sacrament  of  con- 
version, (another  name  applied  to  baptism,)  because  that  an- 
swer belongs  to  the  celebration  of  the  sacrament.  So  the 
Apostle,  on  the  same  subject  of  baptism,  says,  '  We  are.  bu- 
ried with  Christ  by  baptism  unto  death;'  he  does  not  say 
we  signify  a  burial,  but  he  uses  the  word  itself — we  are  bu- 
ried.*    So  that  he  calls  the  sacrament  of  so  great  a  thing  by 


*There  are  some  figurative  expressions  used  in  the  scriptures,  and  in- 
troduced into  our  baptismal  services,  which,  except  understood  by  a  re- 
ference to  the  facts  from  which  they  are  drawn,  are  apt  to  confuse  the 
mind.  I  mean  those  of  being  baptized  into  the  death  of  Christ;  being 
planted  in  the  likeness  of  his  death;  being  grafted  into  the  body  of 
Christ's  church;  being  buried  with  him  in  baptism, 

A  learned  writer  (Taylor  on  Baptism)  has  given,  we  think,  the  most 
satisfactory  explanation  of  them.  He  says,  that  when  St.  Paul  speaks 
of  our  bodies  being  washed  with  pure  water,  and  St.  Peter  of  the  wash- 
ing away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  both  of  these  in  connexion  with  bap- 
tism, they  speak  of  that  part  of  the  ceremony  of  baptism  which  in  those. 


92 

the  name  of  the  thing  itself.  So  an  infant,  though  he  be  not 
yet  constituted  a  fidel  (that  is,  a  faithful  Christian)  by  that 
faith  which  consists  in  the  will  of  believers,  yet  he  is,  by 
the  sacrament  of  that  faith;  for  as  he  is  said  to  believe,  so  is 
he  called  a  fidel,  not  from  his  having  the  thing  in  itself  in 
his  mind,  but  from  his  receiving  the  sacrament  of  it.  And 
when  a  person  begins  to  have  a  sense  of  things,  he  does  not 
repeat  that  sacrament,  but  understands  the  force  of  it,  and 
by  consent  of  will  squares  himself  to  the  true  meaning  of 
it.  And  till  he  can  do  this,  the  sacrament  will  avail  to  his 
preservation  against  all  contrary  powers  ;   and  so  far  will  it 


days  preceded  the  solemn  act  of  the  minister's  pouring  water  on  the  can- 
didate in  the  name  of  the  Trinity;  they  spoke  of  something  more  tho- 
rough as  to  the  purifying  of  the  body,  performed  either  by  the  persons 
themselves,  or  others,  whether  in  a  large  vessel  or  running  stream,  and 
refers  to  the  custom  which  has  ever  existed  of  washing  dead  bodies  be- 
fore their  interment,  and  then  wrapping  them  in  white  garments.  This 
was  being  "  baptized  for  the  dead,"  as  St.  Paul  says.  Our  Saviour,  co- 
vered with  his  own  blood,  was  thus  washed,  and  then  clad  with  white 
linen  clothes.  This  was  a  part  of  what  was  called  the  burial  or  funeral 
ceremony.  They  who  were  baptized  into  Christ,  were  baptized  into 
his  death.  They  were  washed,  as  if  they  were  dead  persons.  They  pro- 
fessed thereby  to  die  unto  sin,  as  dead  men  die  to  the  things  of  this  life; 
and  to  rise  again  to  newness  of  life,  as  Christ  rose  from  the  dead  on  the 
third  day.  So  are  we  to  understand  the  terms  crucified  with  Christ ;  as 
he  became  dead  in  his  body  to  all  earthly  things,  so  they  must  crucify 
the  old  man,  and  continually  mortify  their  members.  The  Apostle 
bids  those  who  had  been  baptized  into  Christ's  death  to  reckon  them- 
selves dead  indeed  unto  sin,  and  alive  unto  God,  through  Christ.  In 
answer  to  the  slanderous  charge  brought  against  them,  that  they  held  the 
abominable  doctrine  of  doing  evil  that  good  might  come,  of  sinning 
that  grace  might  abound,  he  says,  God  forbid;  how  shall  we,  who  are 
dead  to  sin,  live  any  longer  therein  ? — that  is,  how  can  we,  who  profess 
in  baptism  to  be  dead  to  sin,  live  purposely  and  professedly  in  sin,  as 
we  are  charged,  in  the  hope  of  abounding  grace,  maintaining  a  doctrine 
so  contrary  to  our  profession  and  our  principles. 

To  put  off  the  old  man  and  to  put  on  the  new  man,  or  to  put  on 
Christ,  is  another  figure  also  in  connexion  with  baptism,  and  most  pro- 
bably refers  to  the  tearing  away  the  old  garments  from  the  dead  person, 
and  putting  on  the  new  white  garment  in  which  the  dead  are  clothed. 
Being  planted  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  is  supposed  to  refer  to  the 
practice  of  grafting,  by  which  a  branch  is  cut  ofF  from  some  tree,  re- 
nouncing all  connexion  with  it,  dead  to  it,  planted  or  grafted  into  ano- 
ther stock,  from  which  it  receives  life,  and  rises  again  into  a  new  exis- 
tence, bearing  more  abundant  fruit.  So  shall  we  resemble  Christ,  both. 
in  his  death  and  resurrection. 


93 

avail,  that  if  he  depart  this  life  before  the  use  of  reason,  he 
will,  by  this  Christian  remedy  of  the  sacrament  itself,  (the 
charity  of  the  church  recommending  him,)  be  made  free 
from  that  condemnation  which  by  one  man  entered  into  the 
world." 

In  these  last  words  we  see  the  high  view  he  had  of  the 
power  of  baptism;  for  he  was  one  who  believed  that  infants 
were  lost  without  it,  although  he  disbelieved  any  present  ef- 
fect on  the  mind  of  the  infant.  Whether  the  foregoing  ex- 
planation was  satisfactory  to  the  enquirer,  or  has  been  so  to 
others  since  his  day,  it  is  certain  from  it,  and  other  writings 
of  St.  Austin,  that  he  entirely  rejected  the  doctrine  of  the  sa- 
craments, as  held  in  the  church  of  Rome,  and  by  some  sym- 
pathizing with  her,  whereby  the  sign  and  the  thing  signified 
are  confounded  together.  He  recognises  no  principle  of 
faith,  as  existing  in  the  child  at  its  coming  to  baptism,  or  be- 
ing imparted  to  it  by  baptism.  That  was  something  yet  to 
come. 

It  appears,  then,  that  as  now,  so  of  old,  among  the  Jews 
and  the  early  Christians,  the  hypothetical  principle,  or  the 
principle  of  anticipation,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  prevailed  in 
their  initiation  of  children  into  the  church.  The  church, 
cherishing  the  hope  that  by  God's  blessing  on  the  means 
used  they  would  surely  come  to  that  faith  and  repentance, 
of  which  baptism  is  a  sign  and  seal,  grants  to  them  before 
hand  the  same  sign  and  seal,  and  addresses  them  as  though  they 
had  already  obtained  the  same  blessing.  Some  there  are, 
who  carry  this  hypothetical  principle  yet  farther,  and  under- 
standing the  term  regeneration  as  used  in  oar  baptismal  ser- 
vice, only  in  its  higher  sense  as  signifying  a  moral  change, 
suppose  that  the  church,  still  retaining  the  principle,  goes 
forward  to  the  age  of  discretion,  and  on  the  supposition  and 
the  condition  that  the  child  fulfils  its  promises,  thanks  God 
that  it  has  pleased  him  to  regenerate  the  same  by  his  Holy 
Spirit.  The  church  might  indeed  have  extended  the  princi- 
ple thus  far,  and  only  been  liable  to  the  same  complaint  now 
made  against  her,  for  the  admission  of  it  into  the  service  ; 
but  as  may  be  seen  in  the  foregoing  treatise,  we  do  not  think 
she  has  so  extended  it,  but  using  the  word  regeneration  in 
another  sense  from  that  now  generally  attached  to  it,  thanks 


94 

God  for  something  actually  bestowed  in  baptism — that  is, 
union  with  the  church  or  body  of  Christ,  and  a  seal  of  the 
promises  of  God — the  promises  of  redemption  through 
Christ,  and  sanctification  by  the  Spirit. 

As  to  the  wisdom  and  advantage  of  the  interrogatories, 
without  denying  that  there  is  something  satisfactory  in  the 
explanation  of  St.  Austin,  we  think  a  better  justification  of 
this  may  be  derived  from  the  common  practice  of  mankind 
in  relation  to  contracts  for  children,  by  guardians  and  others 
acting  for  them.  One  of  our  American  bishops  has  very 
happily  illustrated  and  defended  it  in  the  following  manner  :* 
"  Take,  for  example,  the  common  case  where  orphans  or 
destitute  children  are  bound  to  a  master  or  mistress  by  the 
overseers  of  the  poor.  The  indenture  by  which  this  is  done 
is  an  instrument  of  writing,  containing  a  mutual  agreement, 
in  which  the  infant  promises  obedience,  faithfulness  and  in- 
dustry, and  the  master  or  mistress  promises  to  feed,  clothe, 
instruct,  and  provide  for  the  infant.  Now,  in  this  case  every 
man  who  has  seen  such  an  instrument  knows,  that  the  over- 
seers undertake  the  duties  to  be  performed  by  the  child,  and 
sign  their  names  for  him,  and  on  his  behalf;  and  yet  no  one 
ever  supposed  that  this  signing  makes  them  accountable  in 
their  own  persons — because  the  duties  belong  to  the  infant, 
the  whole  transaction  is  for  his  benefit,  and  the  law  holds 
him  bound  to  fulfil  his  part  of  the  contract  as  soon  as  he  is 
able  to  understand  it,  and  punishes  him  if  he  refuses  to  obey. 
The  same  principle  occurs  when  parents  bind  their  own 
children  as  apprentices.  They  undertake  for,  and  in  the 
name  of  their  sons,  all  the  duties  which  belong  to  that  part 
of  the  covenant ;  and  if  their  children  fail  to  perform  them, 
the  parents  are  never  held  personally  liable,  for  the  same 
reason,  because  it  is  the  children's  contract  and  not  the 
parents',  although  the  parents  sign  it  in  their  name. 

Nor  is  this  principle  of  law  confined  to  these  cases  alone. 
On  the  contrary,  it  applies  to  every  other  transaction  of  im- 
portance, in  which  the  interests  of  children  are  involved. 
Thus  a  father,  desirous  of  leaving  an  estate  to  a  son,  appoints 


^Bishop  Hopkins,  of  Vermont. 


95 

guardians  by  his  will ;  or,  if  there  be  no  will  appointing" 
guardians,  the  courts  of  law  will  appoint  such  as  the  judges 
think  proper,  and  all  the  business  of  the  infant  must  be  con- 
ducted through  his  legal  representatives  until  he  come  of 
age.  These  guardians  buy  and  sell,  lease  and  release,  pay 
and  receive ;  and  all  their  acts,  if  legally  done,  bind  the  in- 
fant on  the  very  same  ground — the  law  allowing  them  to  act 
for  the  child's  benefit,  because  he  has  not  understanding 
enough  to  act  for  himself.  Here  then  we  see  an  universal 
principle  of  law,  which  has  never  yet  been  called  an  absur- 
dity, but  admitted  by  all  reflecting  men  to  be  reasonable,  just, 
and  necessary.  And  in  no  case  can  it  operate  with  greater 
force,  than  in  the  solemn  covenant  on  which  is  founded  the 
ordinance  of  baptism ;  for  no  covenant  can  be  more  perfect- 
ly conditional  than  the  covenant  of  salvation.  The  Lord 
indeed  grants  to  the  infant  the  privilege  of  adoption  forth- 
with ;  accepting  on  his  behalf  the  repentance  and  faith  of 
those  who  present  him,  which  suffices  until  he  is  able  to  ful- 
fil the  appointed  duties  of  his  profession  in  his  own  person. 
All  this,  however,  is  on  the  express  condition,  that  he  will 
be  faithful  and  obedient  in  due  time  ;  for  if  he  be  not,  baptism 
will  not  save  him,  but  he  will  be  cast  out  of  his  Heavenly 
Father's  favor,  disinherited,  and  his  spiritual  birth-right  will 
be  forfeited  forever.  Where  then  is  the  absurdity  of  spon- 
sors in  infant  baptism  ?  What  arrangement  could  set  before 
our  eyes,  more  clearly  or  more  strongly,  the  indispensable 
conditions,  on  our  performance  of  which  the  assurance  of 
an  immortal  inheritance  depends  ?  And  how,  I  beseech  ye^ 
could  the  church  more  carefully  provide  for  the  piety  of  her 
children,  than  by  thus  connecting  with  the  very  ordinance  of 
their  initiation  the  terms  of  the  covenant  which  these  spon» 
sors  promised  on  their  behalf,  and  which  it  was  to  be  their 
first  duty  and  their  highest  interest  faithfully  to  fulfil  ?"* 

*The  Church,  in  granting  baptism  to  infants,  believing  it  to  be  God's 
will,  and  yet  desiring  to  do  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  set  forth  the  abso- 
lute necessity  of  faith  and  repentance  unto  salvation,  has  only  acted,  as 
is  often  done  in  many  earthly  transactions,  where  a  certain  property  is 
sold,  a  privilege  granted,  for  a  certain  price,  on  a  certain  condition;  but 
the  price  not  being  in  hand  to  pay  down,  or  the  condition  impracticable 
at  present,  a  promissory  note,  endorsed  by  some  friend  perhaps,  is  given,. 


96 

Having  thus  given  the  history  and  design  of  the  inter- 
rogatories made  to  children,  I  would  say  of  them,  and  of  the 
term  regeneration,  that  the  Church  doubtless  might  set  forth 
her  true  meaning  and  object  in  the  use  of  them,  in  other  lan- 
guage less  liable  now  to  be  misunderstood  ;  but,  as  she  has 
not  deemed  it  expedient  to  change  old  forms  and  words,  so 
as  to  keep  pace  with  the  variations  of  language,  it  becomes 
the  duty  of  all  her  members,  especially  her  ministers,  care- 
fully to  find  out  her  true  intentions,  and  explain  the  same  to 
others.  In  the  very  obscurity  of  them,  and  their  liability  to 
be  misunderstood,  there  may  be  found  the  same  advantage, 
as  in  the  parables  of  Scripture,  that,  requiring  to  be  studied 
with  an  earnest  desire  to  find  out  their  true  meaning,  they 
thereby,  when  understood,  make  a  deeper  impression  than 
if  expressed  in  more  common  terms.  As  to  the  term  regen- 
eration, since  our  Lord  and  St.  Paul  borrowed  it  from  the 
common  language  of  the  Jews,  and  not  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, we  ought  not  to  object  to  its  use,  provided  we  do  not 
misunderstand  and  misapply  it.  And,  as  to  the  questions 
addressed  to  children  at  their  baptism,  demanding  something 
which  they  cannot  then  perform,  although  there  appears 
something  strange,  and  even  false  in  it,  yet  a  more  effectual 
method  could  not  have  been  adopted  whereby  to  show  that 
the  Church  does  not  regard  baptism  as  of  the  nature  of  a 
charm,  or  a  miraculous  operation,  producing  an  effect  with- 
out the  co-operation  of  the  recipient,  and  due  qualifications 
of  heart ;  seeing  that  she  will  not  even  baptize  infants  with- 
out requiring  a  solemn  promise  of  that  faith  and  repentance 
which  she  says  belong  to  baptism,  and  are  necessary  for  its 
due  efficacy.  The  only  difference  which  she  makes  be- 
tween adults  and  infants  is,  that  of  the  one  she  demands  a 


and,  on  the  strength  of  that  promissory  note,  sometimes  the  property  is 
surrendered,  and  it  may  be  a  receipt  given,  as  if  the  money  had  been 
paid.  The  promissory  note  is  all  the  assurance  the  creditor  has  of  pay- 
ment ;  but  yet,  if  that  is  not  paid  according  to  law,  the  property  or  privi- 
lege may  be  withdrawn,  and  sold  for  the  payment  of  the  note.  So  in 
the  baptism  of  infants,  although  the  baptism  would  be  valid  without  it, 
yet  the  Church  requires  a  promise  of  the  fulfilment  of  those  things,  with- 
out which  baptism  would  be  of  no  avail,  thinking  that  the  promise 
might  the  more  move  them  to  the  performance  of  that  vow. 


97 

previous  possession  of  these  qualifications,  while  she  allows 
to  the  other,  by  reason  of  their  tender  age,  due  time  for  the 
attainment.  Like  a  generous  creditor,  she  has  patience  with 
the  child  until  it  can  pay  all  the  debt.  But,  if  the  child  fail 
to  fulfil  its  part,  then  the  baptism  will  be  of  no  more  avail 
than  to  the  hypocritical  adult,  but  will  only  be  to  its  greater 
condemnation.  There  is  another  use  which  may  laAvfully 
be  made  of  that  feature  in  our  service  which  requires  posi- 
tive promises  of  the  children  through  their  sponsors,  which, 
however,  I  reserve  for  the  commencement  of  the  concluding 
chapter. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Practical  improvemei-U  of  the  foregoing,  with  prayers  and 
m  editations  before  and  after  the  baptism  of  children. 

I  proposed  to  open  this  with  the  mention  of  another 
use  which  may  lawfully  be  made  of  the  positive  promise 
of  the  sponsors  in  the  name  of  the  children.  Although  it  is 
evident  that  the  promise  is  that  of  the  child,  not  of  the  spon- 
sor, the  voice  of  the  sponsor  only  being  used,  yet,  when  we 
consider  the  connexion  established  by  God  himself  between 
infant  membership  and  religious  education,  how  parents  and 
others  presenting  them  are  expected  and  enjoined  to  believe 
and  feel  the  things  promised  by  children,  how  solemnly  they 
are  commanded  in  Scripture  and  by  the  Church  to  teach 
these  things  to  the  children ;  when  we  remember  the  pre- 
cept to  train  up  children  in  the  way  they  should  go,  and  the 
promise  that  when  they  are  old  they  will  not  depart  from  it ; 
when  we  remember  the  immense  power  of  pious  parents 
and  guardians  over  children,  how  the  children  will  believe 
almost  any  thing  told  them  by  parents,  and  may  be  made  to> 
do  almost  every  thing  they  are  commanded ;  when  we  see 
throughout  the  whole  world  children  adopting  the  religious 
faith  of  their  parents,  may  we  not  believe,  that  the  Church* 
in  this  peculiar  mode  of  receiving  children,  meant  to  ex- 
press this  immense  influence  of  parents  and  others  over  chil- 
dren, and  to  let  them  see,  that  if  they  would  only  be  faith- 
ful to  their  duty,  they  might  fully  expect  that,  with  God's 
blessing,  these  children  would  not  fail  to  realize  the  hopes 
and  expectations  of  those  presenting  them.  A  more  em- 
phatic method  of  setting  forth  the  faith  of  the  Church  in  the 
power  of  religious  education  could  not  be  devised  than  we 
iind  in  these  interrogatories.  And  in  them  also  we  may  see 
the  true  character  of  that  education  which  they  are  to  endea- 
vor to  give  to  the  children  entrusted  to  their  care.  As  to  that, 
I  shall  offer  as  far  better  than  any  thing  of  my  own  a  part 
of  that  report,  alluded  to  before,  which,  coming  with  the 


99 

sanction  of  the  Church,  will  I  hope  have  the  weight  which 
it  deserves  on  the  minds  of  all  her  members.* 

*  Let  us  proceed,  then,  with  the  case  of  parents  who  are 
now  supposed  to  have  brought  their  offspring  to  Christ  in  the 
sacrament  of  baptism,  and  in  the  spirit  we  have  described. 
What  is  now  to  be  done?  Nurture  in  the  Lord  has  com- 
menced.    How  is  it  to  be  carried  on? 

"  Understand,  and  fully  recognise,  the  relative  state  of  that 
baptized  child.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  be- 
cause 'baptized  into  Christ,'  and  because  he  has  thus  'put  on 
Christ.'  The  Church  is  the  Lord's  family.  It  includes  the 
babes,  and  those  of  full  age — some  confined  to  the  limitations 
of  the  nursery — others,  by  reason  of  growth,  allowed  all  the 
privileges  and  liberties  of  the  whole  house  ;  but  all  members 
alike  of  the  same  family.  But  connected  with  church  mem- 
bership are  necessarily  a  certain  profession  and  responsibility. 
They  may  be  assumed  personally,  or  by  a  lawfully  authorized 
substitute.  As  when,  of  old  time,  parents  stood  for  and  with 
their  children,  in  that  covenant  transaction  wherein  the  people 
of  Israel  solemnly  took  the  Lord  for  their  God,  and  he  took 
them  for  his  peculiar  people  ;  so,  in  the  present  case,  the  par- 
ents of  the  child,  being  his  divinely  authorized  guardians, 
covenanted  and  professed  in  his  name  ;  and,  whether  words  to 
this  effect  were  used  or  not,  and  however  the  ordinance  may 
have  been  administered,  the  obligation  entered  into  by  that 
child,  in  such  transaction,  contained  necessarily  the  renuncia- 
tion of  the  world  and  of  all  sin,  and  the  adoption  of  the  whole 
will  of  God.  So  that  the  relation  of  a  baptized  child  to  the 
world,  to  the  Church,  and  to  God,  as  to  spiritual  duty,  in  pro- 
portion as  he  becomes  capable  of  understanding  and  perform- 
ing it,  is  precisely  that  of  any  other  member  of  the  Church  of 
Christ.  His  profession,  represented  and  made  in  baptism,  is 
'to  follow  the  example  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  and  to  be  made 
like  unto  him ;  that  as  he  died  and  rose  again  for  us,  so  should 
we,  who  are  baptized,  die  from  sin  and  rise  again  unto  right- 
eousness ;  continually  mortifying  all  our  evil  and  corrupt  af- 


*This  part  was  from  the  pen  of  Bishop  Mcllvaine,  who  was  one  of 
the  committee  for  drawing  it  up. 


100 

fections,  and  daily  proceeding  in  all  virtue  and  godliness  of 
living.' 

"  Now,  let  the  parent  remember  always,  and  be  regulated  in 
every  thing  by  the  remembrance,  that  such  is  the  profession  he 
has  chosen  for  his  child,  and  to  which,  as  his  spiritual  guar- 
dian, he  has  solemnly  and  irrevocably  committed  him.  He 
had  a  right  to  do  so.  It  was  his  duty  to  it.  It  was  for  the 
child's  best  interest  that  it  should  be  done.  But  let  that 
parent  fully  and  deeply  realize  the  position  in  which  he  has 
placed  the  child,  and  consequently  his  own  responsibility  for 
all  that  a  heart  of  prayer  and  a  hand  of  diligence  can  do,  to 
bring  it  to  good  effect.  Now,  all  his  efforts  must  be  based 
upon,  and  shaped  according  to,  that  relation  and  profession. 
The  child  is  a  member  of  the  Church ;  his  training  must  be  as 
becometh  such  a  connection.  Nothing  that  would  be  incon- 
sistent with  the  essential  spirit  of  a  member  of  the  Church  of 
any  age  must  be  allowed  in  it.  We  say  the  essential  spirit, 
because,  in  many  things  which  are  not  wrong  in  themselves, 
a  difference  of  age  makes  an  entire  difference  of  propriety. 
An  innocent  playfulness  of  the  child,  consistent  with  the 
sweetest  spirit  of  piety,  would  be  folly,  and  levity,  and  time 
wasting  in  the  man. 

"  We  are  dealing  now  with  a  main  principle,  obvious,  in- 
deed, but  probably  as  often  forgotten  and  neglected,  or  not 
understood,  as  any  thing  else  in  this  whole  matter.  We 
venture  to  say,  that,  however  the  relation  and  responsibility 
of  baptized  children  as  Church  members  may  be  acknow- 
ledged in  every  one's  catechism,  it  is  for  the  most  part  over- 
looked and  neglected,  or  far  from  having  its  legitimate  con- 
trol in  their  practical  training.  The  fact  that  they  are  es- 
poused to  the  Lord,  that  they  belong  to  his  Church,  are  in 
covenant  for  a  holy  life,  and  solemnly  bound,  by  the  bap- 
tismal profession,  to  live  as  becometh  the  gospel,  is  not,  as 
it  should  be,  the  great  principle  on  which  to  determine  what 
is  proper  or  improper  in  the  things  to  be  taught  them,  in  the 
indulgences  to  be  allowed  them,  in  the  purposes  for  which 
to  educate,  or  the  companions  with  which  to  associate 
them.  Many  a  parent,  were  his  son  a  communicant,  would 
at  once  perceive  the  inconsistency  of  his  partaking  in  what 
he  encourages,  or   at  least  cheerfully  tolerates,  while  he  is 


101 

only  baptized;  as  if  communion  involved  ihe  duty  of  any- 
more spiritual  character  than  baptism.  Let  parents  see  that 
in  such  things  they  'walk  circumspectly.'  The  covenant 
faithfulness  of  their  child  is  in  their  care.  They  brought 
him  to  the  Lord,  and  then  received  him  again,  with  the 
charge,  « Take  this  child,  and  nurse  it  for  me.'  Let  them 
see  that  they  do,  indeed,  nurse  it  for  the  Lord.  Let  the  holy 
affections,  principles,  and  duties,  to  which  he  is  pledged,  be 
the  mark  at  which  to  direct  his  aim  ;  let  the  solemn  and  ir- 
revocable engagement  he  is  under,  with  all  its  responsibility, 
be  made  to  bear  directly  upon  his  heart  and  conscience. 
Such  is  the  plan  pursued  in  the  scriptures — such  should  be 
the  plan  with  all  baptized  children.  The  whole  scheme  of 
nurture  and  admonition  should  be  constructed  on  the  ground 
of  their  relation  to  God,  as  united  with  his  Church,  and  cove- 
nanted to  his  service.  To  establish  them  in  all  the  spiritual 
grace,  and  lead  them  to  all  the  duties  implied  in  this  relation, 
should  be  the  inspiring  object  of  all  their  training.  Admo- 
nition, instruction,  exhortation,  should  each  take  its  text  from 
this  chapter.  Parental  prayer  should  obtain  therefrom  both 
its  pleadings  and  its  earnestness.  The  child  should,  as  soon 
as  possible,  be  made  to  know  and  understand  it. 

"  The  success  of  parents,  in  their  great  office,  depends 
very  greatly  upon  the  views  with  which  they  undertake  it. 
Inadequate  conceptions  of  the  object  to  be  attained,  of  its 
relative  importance,  and  of  the  great  principles  of  action  on 
which  alone  its  accomplishment  may  be  expected,  will  ex- 
plain a  great  many  of  the  failures  which  the  unwise  and 
unstable  are  so  apt  to  interpret  to  their  great  discouragement ; 
and  the  surest  guard  against  such  misconceptions  consists  in 
having  right  views  of  the  nature,  the  privileges,  and  the  ob- 
ligations of  the  baptismal  relation.  Do  not  these  plainly 
show  that  the  object  to  be  attained  in  Christian  education  is 
not  that  children  maybe  so  far  imbued  with  religious  know- 
ledge, and  so  far  brought  under  the  influence  of  religious 
principle,  as  to  be  secured  against  those  corruptions,  both  of 
doctrine  and  life,  which  they  must  encounter  in  their  subse- 
quent passage  through  the  world?  Is  it  only  that  they  may 
be  so  restrained  from  what  is  usually  regarded  as  positive 
irreligion  in  opinion  and  practice,  and  so  instructed  in  what 
9* 


102 

is  true  religion,  that  bye  and  bye,  at  some  indefinite  period 
in  the  future,  before  their  day  of  grace  is  over,  they  may  turn 
to  the  Lord,  and  be  ready  to  die  ?  Such  views  are  wholly 
inadequate.  Nothing  less  than  positive  piety — actual  devo- 
tion of  heart  and  life  to  God — just  such  piety  as  the  Gospel 
Tequires  of  parents,  must  parents  seek  for  their  children — 
and  that,  not  merely  for  their  blessing  bye  and  bye,  when 
they  shall  have  ceased  to  be  children,  but  now,  while  they 
are  the  lambs  of  the  flock,  and  '  unspotted  from  the  world.' 
We  are  not  to  train  them  merely  for  the  nurture,  but  in  the 
nurture  of  the  Lord.  We  are  commanded  to  bring  them 
now,  while  little  children,  to  Christ,  that  he  may  take  them 
in  his  arms,  and  bless  them  ;  and,  when  we  do  so,  it  must 
he  with  the  object  of  putting  them,  not  only  into  his  care, 
against  evils  in  the  world,  butin  to  his  possession,  and  adop- 
tion, and  service,  for  all  the  present  and  eternal  gifts  of  his 
grace ;  not  that  they  may  be  kept  for  some  future  dedication 
of  themselves  to  his  will,  but  that  now,  under  his  blessing, 
a  work  of  grace  may  begin  in  their  hearts,  which  will  be 
carried  on  in  them  '  unto  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.' 
,  *' It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  this  matter  be  well 
understood.  The  half-way  mark  is  as  much  short  of  our 
duty,  and  God's  blessings,  when  we  seek  them  for  our  chil- 
dren, as  for  ourselves.  Parents  must  make  a  definite  and 
positive  decision,  whom  they  will  serve,  in  this  matter  as  in 
every  thing  else ;  and  whom,  so  far  as  they  can  settle  the 
question,  their  children  shall  serve.  Here,  as  elsewhere, 
*ye  cannot  serve  two  masters.'  The  world  and  religion 
cannot  be  joint  partners  in  the  nurture  of  the  Lord.  There  is 
as  little  promise  of  a  blessing  to  that  kind  of  training  which 
contemplates  for  children  only  a  partial  influence  of  religion, 
instead  of  the  entire  mastery  of  religion — a  future  work  of 
sanctification,  with  only  a  present  work  of  instruction  and 
restraint,  instead  of  the  present  in-dwelling,  in-working,  and 
all-subduing  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God — as  there  is  to  that 
land  of  Christian  who  thinks  to  divide  his  heart  between 
God  and  the  world,  and  live  unto  himself  now,  without  los- 
ing heaven  hereafter. 

"  Then  let  it  be  considered  a  first  principle,  in  the  reli- 
gious  training  of  children,   that   the  object  on  which  the 


103 

parents  set  their  hearts,  the  mark  at  which  they  level  their 
aim,  is  not  merely  good  instruction,  but  the  ingrafting  and 
experience  of  positive  piety — not  merely  good  feelings  and 
morals  now,  and  piety  afterwards,  but  positive  piety  now,  as 
soon  as  possible  ;  that  their  offspring  may,  from  infancy  on- 
ward, be  '  followers  of  God  as  dear  children,'  and  '  walk  in 
all  the  ordinances  and  commandments  of  the  Lord  blame- 
less.' In  other  words,  that  precisely  what  the  preacher  of 
the  Gospel  should  seek  for  those  to  whom  he  is  sent,  they 
must  seek  for  the  little  flock  which  the  Good  Shepherd  has 
entrusted  to  their  care."* 

Conclusion. 

And  now  are  there  still  those  who  will  say  we  make  bap- 
tism nothing  by  the  view  we  take  of  it  ?  To  such  we  reply: 
Is  it  nothing  to  be  met,  on  our  first  entrance  into  this  world 
of  sin  and  misery,  with  the  wide  opened  arms  of  Christ,  by 
his  Church  bidding  us  come  to  him?  Is  it  nothing  to  have 
all  the  precious  promises  of  God  to  children  signed  and 
sealed  to  us  by  an  ordinance  of  Christ's  appointment?  Is  it 
nothing  to  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost  by  a  minister  of  God,  amidst  the  prayers  of  the  faith- 
ful into  whose  fellowship  they  are  received?  Is  it  nothing 
to  be  put  into  the  Church  of  Christ  to  be  trained  for  heaven? 
Is  it  nothing  to  be  adopted  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  have 
its  fostering  care  pledged  to  us?  Is  it  nothing  to  have  our 
Christian  profession  thus  faithfully  represented  to  us  in  so 
expressive  an  ordinance,  and  to  be  bound  by  such  solemn 
vows  to  the  performance  of  our  part  in  the  solemn  covenant? 
If  there  be  any  who  regard  these  evidences  of  God's  good 
will — these  pledges  of  God's  gracious  assistance,  as  nulli- 
ties unless  something  more  be  done  at  the  very  time  of  bap- 
tism— except  a  new  soul,  as  it  were,  be  put  into  the  child— 
we  know  not  how  to  speak  of  them,  except  as  ungrateful 
and  presumptuous.  What?  When  God  thus  condescends  to 
take  our  children  into  his  arms,  and  to  bless  them,  and  com- 


*" Preliminary  Address  to  Select,  Family, and  Parish  Sermons."  By 
the  Bishop  of  Ohio. 


104 

mend  them  to  his  Church,  and  promise  all  needful  acts  of 
his  Spirit,  and  surround  them  with  so  many  advantages,  shall 
we  say  to  him,  that  unless  he  will  do  something  far  better 
for  them  at  once,  and  put  a  new  nature  into  them,  that  he 
has  done  nothing?  Instead  of  being  most  thankful  for  all 
these  condescending  and  tender  manifestations  of  God's  love, 
and  these  promises  of  all  needful  grace  in  times  to  come, 
and  wonder  that  he  should  be  thus  kind,  shall  we  demand 
more  on  the  very  spot?  Who  shall  say  in  how  many  thou- 
sand ways  that  which  is  done  shall  contribute  to  the  future 
sanctification  of  the  soul,  although  it  is  not  effected  at  the 
time?  The  times  and  seasons  are  in  the  hands  of  God.  After 
we  have  done  the  will  of  God,  we  have  need  of  patience  to 
inherit  the  blessing. 


It  was  the  author's  design  to  add  to  the  foregoing  some 
prayers  and  meditations  to  be  used  by  parents  at  the  birth 
of  their  children,  and  by  parents  and  sponsors  before  and 
after  their  baptism  ;  but  the  want  of  time  and  health  has 
prevented  it  for  the  present.  He  can,  therefore,  only  en- 
treat that  such  meditations,  prayers,  and  resolutions,  as 
would  be  suggested  by  the  principles  of  the  treatise,  may 
not  be  neglected. 


A  few  sentences,  containing  remarks  which  have  suggest- 
ed themselves  to  the  author  since  the  foregoing  was  written, 
will  conclude  the  work. 

On  the  use  of  the  term  regeneration, 

In  saying  that  there  is  no  objection  to  the  use  of  the  term 
regeneration,  in  connexion  with  baptism,  when  rightly  inter- 
preted, we  would  not  be  understood  as  advocating  the  use  of 
it  in  conversation,  or  sermons,  or  tracts,  except  where  it  can 
be  easily  explained,  and  is  explained  at  the  time,  so  as  not 
to  be  misunderstood.  Such  a  cautious  use  of  words,  whose 
original  meaning  has  become  obsolete,  and  which  are  so  liable 
to  be  misunderstood,  is  justified  by  sound  sense  and  the  prac- 


105 

lice  of  men  in  every  age.  Let  a  few  instances  in  proof  suf- 
fice. In  the  Old  Testament  the  term  gods  is  applied  to 
princes  or  rulers  by  Moses ;  and  our  Lord  alludes  to  the  pas- 
sages himself.  But  would  it  be  wise  in  us  now  to  use  such 
language  ?  In  England  certain  persons  are  called  Lords  ; 
but  would  it  be  proper  in  Americans  to  use  the  same?  In  the 
English  marriage  service  the  bridegroom  is  made  to  say  to 
the  bride,  "  With  my  body  I  thee  worship,"  to  signify  the 
respect  and  love  he  bears  her ;  but  no  one  among  us  would 
wish  to  see  this  word  now  applied,  in  common  language,  to 
the  affection  borne  to  a  creature.  Variations  in  language  will 
take  place,  and  we  are  obliged  to  pay  due  regard  to  them. 

The  Romish  doctrine  of  baptismal  regeneration* 

Having  alluded  to  the  sentiments  of  the  Romish  Church 
on  the  subject  of  baptism,  it  may  be  well  to  state  them  in  the 
words  of  some  of  their  formularies.  In  one  of  the  latest 
works  containing  the  forms  of  administering  the  sacraments 
in  the  Romish  Church  in  our  country,  approved  by  the  Pope, 
and  used  in  the  Diocess  of  Baltimore,  we  have  the  follow- 
ing language  on  the  subject  of  baptism:  "Baptism  is  the 
first  and  most  essential  of  the  sacraments,  and  absolutely  ne- 
cessary for  salvation."  "  By  this  holy  ceremony  we  are 
purified  from  that  original  guilt  which  has  been  transmitted 
by  our  first  parents  to  all  his  posterity,  and  from  every  other 
sin  that  may  have  been  committed  before  its  reception.  It 
imparts  to  the  soul  a  new  and  spiritual  life,  which  consists 
in  an  intimate  union  with  God  by  faith,  hope,  and  charity, 
and  imprints  on  it  a  character  which  consecrates  it  in  an  es- 
pecial manner  to  his  service,  and  entitles  it  to  all  the  bless- 
ings that  have  been  purchased  for  us  by  the  sufferings  of 
Jesus  Christ." 

On  the  treatment  of  baptized  children, 

A  pious  and  eminent  divine,  whose  opinion  in  favor 
of  the  moral  regeneration  of  some  children  at  their  bap- 
tism has  been  sometimes  quoted,  nevertheless  declares, 
that   it  is   proper    to    treat   all    children    as   unregenerate 


106 

until  evidences  of  regeneration  appear.  By  which  it  is  of 
course  meant,  that  they  must  be  addressed  as  those  who 
must  be  born  again — must  be  called  on  to  repent — the  word 
of  God  must  be  engrafted  on  their. hearts,  as  that  by  which 
they  are  to  be  made  wise  unto  salvation — the  Holy  Spirit  is 
to  be  invoked  on  them — they  are  to  be  exhorted  to  pray  for 
its  regenerating  influence.  Now,  let  us  suppose  all  this  done 
faithfully  for  the  child,  and  that  at  a  certain  age  it  gives  signs  of 
a  gracious  change.  Must  that  change  be  necessarily  ascribed  to 
the  time  of  baptism  ?  What,  then,  becomes  of  the  effect  of  a 
pious  education  ?  How  much  more  probable  that  this  early 
piety  is  the  result  of  God's  blessing  on  the  faithful  effort  of 
parents  or  others  to  bring  up  the  child  in  the  nurture  and  admo- 
nition of  the  Lord?  In  order  to  magnify  the  effect  of  baptism, 
we  must  thus  seriously  interfere  with  the  efficacy  of  an  early 
training  of  the  soul.  God  only  can  know  whether  the  com- 
mencement was  at  or  before  baptism,  or  as  the  effect  of  the 
Spirit's  influence  in  connection  with  truth,  as  instilled  into  the 
young  mind.     The  latter  appears  far  more  probable. 


COMPANION  TO   THE   PULPIT, 

AN  APPENDIX  TO  THE 

COMPANION  TO  THE  FONT, 

Being  designed  to  show  how  the  Preacher  should  address  himself  to  the 
baptized,  and  all  others,  so  as  to  be  consistent  with  the  word  of  God 
and  the  doctrines  of  the  Church. 


Among  the  directions  given  to  the  sponsors,  as  to  the 
pious  training  of  the  baptized  child,  is  this,  "That  he  may- 
know  these  things  the  better,  ye  shall  call  upon  him  to  hear 
sermons."  Of  course  the  Church  must  mean  such  sermons 
as  she  thinks  are  in  accordance  with  the  doctrines  set  forth 
in  her  services;  but  as  she  professes  to  take  these  doctrines 
out  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  so  she  directs  the  ministers  to 
take  their  sermons  from  the  same,  saying,  that  "as  they  can- 
not compass  the  doing  of  so  weighty  a  work,  as  that  pertain- 
ing to  the  salvation  of  man,  but  with  doctrine  and  exhorta- 
tion taken  out  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  they  should  be  most 
studious  in  reading  and  learning  the  same."  She  makes 
them  solemnly  promise  to  "teach  nothing,  as  necessary  to 
salvation,  but  what  they  are  persuaded  may  be  concluded 
and  proved  by  the  scriptures."  There  is,  therefore,  an  in- 
timate connexion  between  the  doctrine  of  the  pulpit  and  the 
ordinance  of  baptism,  according  to  our  Church.  So  did  our 
Savior  decree,  when  the  apostles  were  directed,  first  to  preach 
the  Gospel,  and  then  baptize  those  who  believed  it.  No 
reason,  therefore,  need  be  assigned  for  this  addition,  except 
that  necessary  connexion  ordained  by  Christ  and  enjoined 
by  the  Church.  The  author,  however,  may  be  allowed  to 
add,  that  besides  his  official  connexion  with  the  clergy  of  the 
diocese  of  Virginia,  making  it  his  duty  to  be  ever  guarding 
them  against  error,  he  also  presides  over  a  seminary  for  train- 
ing young  candidates  for  the  ministry,  and  devotes  a  small 
portion  of  his  time  to  their  preparation  for  the  weighty  work, 


108 

and  of  course  must  feel  a  special  anxiety  that  they  should  go 
forth  knowing  well  how  rightly  to  divide  the  word  of  truth. 
A  mistake  on  this  subject  is  most  dangerous  to  preacher  and 
hearer.  The  preacher  must  be  wise  to  win  souls — to  turn 
them  from  sin  to  righteousness — to  convert  them  unto  God. 
The  salvation  of  his  own  and  his  people's  souls  depends 
upon  his  taking  heed  to  himself  and  the  doctrine.  A  physi- 
cian who  treats  his  patient  as  being  well,  or  only  slightly  in- 
disposed, when  a  dangerous  disease  is  in  his  body,  contri- 
butes to  his  death.  Thousands  perish  under  such  ignorance 
and  wrong  treatment.  As  to  our  souls,  if  any  of  them  be 
whole,  then  they  need  no  physician.  Only  they  which  feel 
themselves  to  be  sick  within,  will  call  for  the  remedy.  "To 
know  ourselves  diseased,  is  half  our  cure."  Not  to  know 
that  there  is  a  plague  in  our  hearts,  when  there  is  one  doing 
the  work  of  death,  and  to  speak  peace,  peace  to  ourselves 
when  there  is  no  peace,  is  the  most  hopeless  of  all  conditions. 
How  dreadful  when  the  minister  of  the  Gospel  shall  con- 
tribute to  such  deception.  None  can  deny,  that  if  the  effect 
of  baptism  upon  the  soul  of  a  child  be  overestimated,  or  be 
esteemed  something  different  from  what  it  really  is,  that 
there  must  be  great  danger  of  regarding  the  child  as  it  grows 
up  as  in  a  different  state  from  what  it  really  is,  and  of  treat- 
ing it  differently  from  what  it  would  be  treated  if  no  such 
effect  had  been  produced.  If  there  be  such  an  instantaneous 
and  thorough  effect  on  the  soul  of  the  child  in  baptism,  as 
only  to  require  that  the  same  shall  be  preserved — if  children 
are  not  only  required  to  renounce  all  evil,  that  is,  as  ex- 
plained by  some,  never  have  any  thing  to  do  with  it;  but  if 
some  have  very  little  to  do  with  it,  and  others  nothing  at  all 
— if,  as  some  maintain,  we  are  by  baptism  invested  with  the 
very  righteousness  of  Adam  before  his  fall,  then  where,  in 
point  of  fact,  and  as  to  the  treatment  of  the  child,  will  be  the 
great  difference  between  such  and  Pelagius,  who  maintained 
that  we  came  into  the  world  without  sin  as  Adam  did,  and 
that  we  only  sin  by  following  Adam.  I  know  there  is,  doc- 
trinally,  a  difference;  but  I  fear,  as  to  the  treatment  of  the 
subject,  there  will  not  be  much.  The  act  of  baptism  puts 
both  on  the  same  footing,  and  both  must  now  keep  what  they 
have — the  one  what  it  has  by  nature  5  the  other  what  it  has 


109 

by  grace,  but  the  same  in  both— the  original  righteousness 
of  Adam.  As  to  those  who  keep  the  deposite,  whether  of 
nature  or  of  grace,  of  course  they  need  no  repentance  ;  and 
what  have  they  to  do  with  the  Scriptures  enjoining  repent- 
ance, or  those  prayers  and  confessions  of  the  Church  which 
suit  only  miserable  sinners,  in  whom  is  no  health?  If  such 
be  the  doctrine  held,  then  shall  we  again  have  need  of  such 
canons  as  we  find  in  the  early  church,  (the  African  code,) 
anathematizing  those  who  said,  that  it  was  in  humility  not 
in  truth  or  reality,  that  they  acknowledged  themselves  sin- 
ners, and  maintained  that  the  saints  said  for  others,  not  for 
themselves,  ''Forgive  us  our  trespasses." 

There  have  been  from  time  to  time  individuals,  and  some- 
times great  numbers  both  in  the  ministry  and  out  of  it,  who 
have  held  sentiments  very  much  resembling  this.  They  have 
utterly  opposed  themselves  to  the  doctrine  of  conversion,  or 
change  of  heart,  or  renewing  of  the  mind,  or  deep  repen- 
tance, such  as  for  some  time  has  been  preached  amongst  us* 
The  author  can  well  remember  the  time,  the  conclusion  of  a 
long  and  dark  period  in  the  church  of  Virginia,  when  all 
such  terms  were  reprobated,  and  not  merely  the  terms,  but 
the  doctrine  expressed  by  them,  and  a  correct  moral  con- 
duct, with  the  observance  of  the  forms  of  religion,  was  all 
that  was  required,  of  the  baptized. 

I  do  not  mean  here  to  advocate  all  that  was  condemned  bjr 
them,  in  what  was  held  by  their  opponents.  Much  that 
was  then,  has  been,  and  is  now  set  forth  in  connexion  with 
conversion,  change  of  heart,  the  evidences  of  the  same,  and 
the  means  of  promoting  them,  is  much  to  be  lamented. 
But  let  us  not  run  into  the  opposite  error. 
.  There  are  those  now  who  object  to  the  term  conversion, 
as  applicable  to  any  change  required  of  a  baptized  person, 
no  matter  how  much  he  has  sinned,  and  even  say  that  re- 
pentance is  not  at  all  required  of  some,  and  but  partially  of 
others;  that  the  moral  change  effected  in  baptism  is  all  the 
regeneration,  or  new  birth,  which  can  take  place.  Besides 
the  quotations  already  made  in  the  foregoing  treatise,  the 
following  passage  from  a  volume  of  Mr.  Newman's  sermons, 
published  a  few  years  since  in  our  country,  and  but  too 
much  patronized,  will  show  the  correctness  of  mv  assertion  ; 
10 


110 

"  Of  those  who  have  been  saints,  we  must  suppose  the 
greater  number  are  such  as,  more  or  less,  have  been  pre- 
served in  holy  obedience  from  their  baptism  onwards  ;  the 
few  are  those  who,  after  their  baptism,  have  sinned  griev- 
ously and  repented  ;  but  still  therefore  may,  if  St.  Paul's  in- 
stance be  in  point,  rise  to  be  as  great  saints  as  the  many  who 
after  baptism  needed  no  repentance.'' 

"O,  my  brethren,  make  much  of  your  original  state,  if 
you  possess  it,  and  be  careful  not  to  lose  it.  Lose  not  the 
opportunity  of  that  special  blessedness  which  none  but  they 
can  have  who  served  God  from  their  youth  up  in  constant 
obedience.  What  is  passed  cannot  be  recalled.  Whatever 
the  heights  of  holiness  to  which  repentant  sinners  obtain, 
yet  they  cannot  have  this  pearl  of  great  price,  not  to  have 
sinned."* 

On  this  and  every  subject  an  appeal  must  first  be  to  the 
oracles  of  God.  Did  our  Lord  thus  address  himself  to  the 
circumcised  Jews  ?  Did  the  Apostle  thus  write  to  the  bap- 
tized Christians  ?  Did  they  thus  preach,  either  to  Jews  or 
Gentiles  ? 

Let  the  following  references  to  the  New  Testament  speak 
for  themselves : 

John  the  Baptist,  the  forerunner  of  our  Lord,  introduced 
his  kingdom,  by  calling  all  those  who  had  been  circumcised 
to  repent,  baptizing  them  unto  repentance  for  the  remission 
of  sins,  recognising  none  as  standing  in  no  need  of  it. 

When  our  Lord  came,  he  addressed  himself  in  like  man- 
ner to  all  men.  In  the  parable  of  the  sower,  he  speaks  of 
some  ground  as  being  good,  into  which  the  seed  is  sown ; 
but  how  does  he  explain  it  ?  "  But  he  that  received  seed 
into  the  good  ground,  is  he  that  heareth  the  word  and  un- 
der standtth  it."     Vide  Matthew,  13th  ch. 

In  the  5th  chapter  he  gives  a  general  description  of  the 
human  heart,  out  of  which  "  proceed  evil  thoughts,  mur- 
ders, adulteries,  fornications,  thefts,  false  witness,  blasphe- 
mes." 

Although,  in  a  certain  sense,  all  of  these  were  children  of 

*  Vide  second  sermon  of  the  last  volume  published  by  Mr.  H.  New- 
man. 


Ill 

Abraham  and  sons  of  God  by  adoption,  yet  in  the  8th  of 
St.  John  he  says  to  some,  that  though  they  were  Abraham's 
seed,  they  were  not  his  children,  but  the  devil  was  their  father. 

In  the  15th,  he  says  to  his  disciples,  "  Ye  are  clean, 
through  the  word  which  I  have  spoken  unto  you." 

In  the  16th,  he  promises  the  Spirit,  that  it  may  convince 
the  world  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  him. 

In  the  17th,  "  This  is  life  eternal,  that  they  may  know 
thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast 
sent."     In  the  same,  •'  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth." 

Thus  did  our  Lord  preach,  before  his  crucifixion,  resur- 
rection, and  the  sending  down  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
were  subjects  to  be  more  fully  dwelt  on  by  the  Apostles  af- 
ter their  occurrence. 

Let  us  see  how  they  preached,  and  what  was  the  effect  of 
the  same.  In  the  second  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles, we  have  a  sketch  of  the  first  sermon.  It  was  on  the 
death  and  resurrection  of  Christ.  And  when  they  heard  it, 
M  they  were  pricked  in  their  hearts,  and  said  unto  Peter  and 
the  rest  of  the  Apostles,  men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we 
do  ?  Then  said  Peter  unto  them,  repent  and  be  baptized 
every  one  of  you,  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  re- 
ceive the  Holy  Ghost."  On  the  next  occasion,  recorded  in 
the  3d  chapter,  he  concludes  thus :  "  Repent  ye,  there- 
fore, and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out, 
when  the  times  of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord;"  both  words  being  used. 

In  the  8th  chapter,  we  have  the  words  spoken  to  Simon 
the  Sorcerer,  who  had  been  baptized  :  "  Repent,  therefore, 
of  this  thy  wickedness,  and  pray  God,  if  perhaps  the 
thought  of  thine  heart  be  forgiven  thee.  So  I  perceive  that 
thou  art  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  bond  of  iniquity."  And 
again,  the  13th  chapter,  he  thus  speaks  of  him  :  "  O,  full 
of  all  subtlety  and  all  mischief,  thou  child  of  the  devil,  thou 
enemy  of  all  righteousness,  wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert 
the  right  ways  of  the  Lord  '?" 

In  the  10th  chapter,  we  find  that  when  Peter  was  preach- 
ing the  word,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  those  who  heard  it; 
"And  Peter  said,  can  any  man  forbid  water,  that  these  should 
not  be  baptized  which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well 


112 

as  we?"  Here,  as  in  other  places,  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  went  before  baptism,  without  any  question. 

In  the  13th  chapter  we  have  a  specimen  of  St.  Paul's 
preaching.  "  Be  it  known  unto  you,  men  and  brethren,  that 
through  this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  and  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things, 
from  which  he  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses." 

In  the  sixteenth,  we  have  the  account  of  the  conversion 
of  the  Jailor.  In  answer  'to  the  question,  what  must  I  do  to 
be  saved,  Paul  and  Silas  said,  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;"  and  then  the  same  night  he  and  his  house  were 
baptized. 

In  the  26th  chapter,  St.  Paul  says  he  was  called  to  preach 
unto  the  Gentiles,  "  that  they  might  receive  forgiveness  of 
sins,  and  inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith." 
if  That  they  should  repent  and  turn  to  God,  and  do  works 
meet  for  repentance." 

Let  us  now  come  to  the  Epistles,  which  were  addressed 
especially  to  believers,  and  at  a  time  when  it  is  to  be  pre- 
sumed, from  all  the  circumstances  of  their  case,  and  the  evils  to 
which  they  were  subjected  by  professing  Christ,  they  were 
for  the  most  part  sincere.  The  most  of  them  were  adult 
converts  ;  yet  some  who  had  been  baptized  in  infancy  were 
old  enough  to  be  addressed.  We  find  accordingly  that  the 
sacred  writers  address  them  as  saints,  the  faithful,  elect, 
children  of  light,  etc.  Yet  even  in  these  epistles  we  find 
many  passages,  showing  that  our  address  must  be  such  as  to 
include  all  in  sin,  and  some  of  them  as  needing  a  thorough 
conversion,  notwithstanding  their  baptism  and  profession. 

In  the  first  of  these  documents,  the  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to 
the  Romans,  we  have  his  view  of  justification.  In  the  3d 
chapter  he  says,  "  Being  j  ustified  freely  by  his  grace,  through 
the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  Whom  God  hath 
set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to 
declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are 
past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God.  To  declare  at  this 
time  his  righteousness,  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justi- 
fier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus."  He  says,  "It  is  one 
God  who  shall  justify  the  circumcision  by  faith,  and  the  un- 
circumcision  through  faith."     In  the  5th  chapter  it  is  said, 


113 

41  Therefore  being  justified  by  faith  we  have  peace  with  God, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  In  the  previous  chapter^ 
it  was  said  that  faith  shall  be  imputed  to  us  for  righteous- 
ness, if  we  believe  on  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the 
dead,  who  was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and  raised  again 
for  our  justification. 

In  the  10th,  it  is  written  :  "  If  thou  shaltconfess  with  thy 
mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thine  heart  that 
God  hath  raised  hirft  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved. 
For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  and 
with  the  mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation.  For  the 
Scripture  says,  whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall  not  be 
ashamed;"  that  is,  to  confess  him  before  men,  whether  in 
baptism  or  any  other  way. 

In  the  7th  chapter,  2d  Corinthians,  we  have  these  words  : 
**  Having  these  promises,  dearly  beloved,  let  us  cleanse  our- 
selves from  all  filthiness  of  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holi- 
ness in  the  fear  of  God." 

In  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  3d  chapter,  this  question 
is  asked  :  "  Received  ye  the  Spirit  by  the  works  of  the  law, 
or  the  hearing  of  faith  ?"  In  the  same  it  is  said  :  "  The 
law  was  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ,  that  we 
might  be  justified  by  faith."  "  For  ye  are  all  the  children 
of  God  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  For  as  many  of  you  as 
have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ." 

In  the  4th  :  "Because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth 
4he  Spirit  of  his  son  into  your  hearts,  crying  Abba  Father." 

In  the  5th :  "  For  in  Jesus  Christ  neither  circumcision 
^vaileth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision ;  but  faith,  which, 
workethby  love." 

In  the  6th :  "  For  in  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision 
availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision  ;  but  a  new  creature." 

In  the  Epistle  of  the  Hebrews,  6th  chapter,  we  have  these 
words  :  "  For  it  is  impossible  for  those  who  were  once  en- 
lightened, and  have  tasted  of  the  Heavenly  gift,  and  were 
made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good 
word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  if  they 
shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  to  repentance;  seeing 
they  crucify  to  themselves  the  son  of  God  afresh,  and  put- 
.him  to  an  open  shame." 
10* 


114 

In  the  Epistle  of  St.  James,  1st  chapter:  "Of his  own 
will  begat  he  us  with  the  word  of  truth,  that  we  should  bea 
kind  of  first  fruits  of  his  creatures." 

In  the  first  Epistle  of  St.  Peter :  "  Being  born  again,  not 
of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  word  of  God, 
which  abideth  forever." 

Second  Epistle  of  St.  Peter,  1st  chapter:  "  Whereby  are 
-given  unto  us  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises  ;  that, 
by  these,  ye  might  be  partakers  of  the  -divine  nature,  having 
•escaped  the  corruption  which  is  in  the  world  through  lust." 

First  Epistle  of  St.  John,  1st  chapter:  "If  we  say  that 
we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not 
in  us.  If  we  confess  our  sins,  God  is  faithful  and  just  to 
forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteous- 
ness. If  we  say  that  we  have  not  sinned,  we  make  him  a 
•liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  Chapter  5th:  "Whoso- 
ever believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God." 

Let  any  one  compare  the  foregoing  language  addressed  to 
those  who  had  been  baptized  either  in  infancy,  or  at  a  later 
period,  to  the  language  which  some  would  now  have  us  use 
in  speaking  to  the  same  persons.  Where  is  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  baptism  and  a  moral  change  only  to  be  pre- 
served, and  by  many  in  a  great  measure  preserved,  and  by 
sorae  altogether,  so  as  to  dispense  with  conversion  or  repen- 
tance ? 

Testimony  of  the  book  of  Homilies  on  this  subject. 

If  there  be  any  document  to  which  we  may  look  for  the 
very  pattern  given  us  by  the  Church  after  which  to  model 
the  doctrine  of  our  sermons,  it  must  be  of  course  the  book  of 
Homilies.  These  were  wrtten  in  the  time  of  Edward  the 
Sixth  and  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  it  is  believed  chiefly,  if  not 
-entirely,  by  Cranmer  and  Jewell.  They  were  designed  to  aid 
the  more  ignorant  of  the  clergy,  and  to  be  a  guide  to  others. 
They  were  commanded  to  be  read  in  all  the  churches,  not 
only  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  but  again  in  that  of  King 
James,  her  successor  ;  and  in  the  directions  given  it  is  said, 
that  "  they  were  not  only  for  a  help  to  the  non-preaching, 
but  with  all  for  a  pattern  and  a  boundary,  as  it  were,  for  the 


115 

preaching  ministers,"  who  were  directed  to  read  over  and 
peruse  diligently  the  book  of  Articles  and  the  two  books  of 
Homilies.  In  one  of  the  articles  of  the  English  Church, 
they  were  declared  to  "  contain  a  godly  and  wholesome  doc- 
trine." In  the  American  Church  the  same  is  declared  in  her 
thirty-fifth  article.  "  The  second  book  of  Homilies,  the  sev- 
eral titles  whereof  we  have  joined  under  this  article,  doth 
contain  a  godly  and  wholesome  doctrine,  necessary  for  these 
times,  as  doth  the  former  book  of  Homilies,  which  were  set 
forth  in  the  time  of  Edward  the  sixth."  The  reading  of 
them  was  suspended  until  a  revision  could  be  made  clearing 
them  of  absolute  phrases  and  local  references  ;  but  they  were 
especially  appointed  by  the  House  of  Bishops  to  be  studied 
by  all  candidates  for  the  ministry,  as  containing  a  body  of 
sound  Christian  doctrine,  and  the  knowledge  of  their  con- 
tents indispensably  required  at  their  examination.  Making, 
as  they  do,  an  octavo  volume  of  five  or  six  hundred  pages,  it 
is  not  to  be  expected  that  every  argument,  illustration,  and 
exposition  of  Scripture  passages,  is  to  be  regarded  as  of  the 
same  authority  with  the  articles  ;  whereupon  it  is  generally 
conceded  that  they  are  binding  only  so  far  as  the  godly  and 
wholesome  doctrine  contained  in  them  is  set  forth,  and  as  to 
their  obvious  and  general  design  on  whatever  subject  they 
treat.  Much  is  it  to  be  desired,  that  not  only  every  minis- 
ter, but  every  family  in  our  church,  had  a  copy  of  these  ser- 
mons, more  especially  at  this  time,  when  doctrines  and  prac- 
tices so  contrary  to  them  are  attempted  to  be  introduced 
amongst  us.  Three  editions  have  been  published,  and  it  is 
hoped  more  will  be  called  for. 

I  now  proceed  to  show,  by  extracts  from  these  discourses, 
that  I  have  not  mistaken  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  as  to 
baptism,  faith,  and  repentance,  and  the  proper  mode  of  ad- 
dressing the  baptized. 

First,  let  me  exhibit  their  view  of  the  position  of  faith,  and 
the  sacraments  in  the  scheme  of  redemption. 

The  first  homily  is  on  the  misery,  that  is,  the  sinfulness 
•of  man.  In  it  man's  dreadful  condition  is  set  forth,  and 
God's  mercy  to  him  in  Christ.  At  the  close  of  it  are  these 
words :  "  Now,  how  these  exceeding  great  mercies  of  God,  set 
abroad  in  Christ  Jesus  for  us,  be  obtained,  and  how  we  be 
delivered  from  the  captivity  of  sin,  death,  and  hell,  shall 


116 

more  at  large,  with  God's  help,  be  declared  in  the  next  ser- 
mon. "  To  that  sermon,  then,  we  must  look  for  an  account 
of  the  way  in  which  we  take  hold  of  this  deliverance,  and 
how  it  is  imparted  to  us.  "  It  is  entitled  a  sermon  of  the  sal- 
vation of  mankind,  by  only  Christ  our  Saviour,  from  sin  and 
death  everlasting."  Its  subject  is  justification  by  faith  only, 
as  set  forth  by  St.  Paul,  whose  words  and  reasonings  are 
quoted,  and  who  it  is  said  "  declareth  here  nothing  on  the 
behalf  of  man  concerning  his  justification,  but  only  of  a  true 
and  living  faith;  which  nevertheless  is  the  gift  of  God,  and  not 
man's  only  work  without  God.  And  yet  that  faith  doth  not 
shut  out  repentance,  hope,  love,  dread,  and  the  fear  of  God, 
to  be  joined  with  faith  in  every  man  that  is  justified,  but  it 
shutteth  them  out  from  the  office  of  justifying."  In  the  next 
homily  we  have  a  description  of  this  faith,  which  is  called  a 
■"  true,  living,  and  christian  faith."  It  begins,  "  The  first 
coming  unto  God,  good  christian  people  is,  through  faith, 
whereby  (as  it  is  declared  in  the  last  sermon)  we  be  justified 
before  God."  It  then  proceeds  to  show  what  this  faith  is, 
distinguishing  it  from  a  mere  historical  belief.  "  The  very 
sure  and  living  christian  faith  is  not  only  to  believe  all  things 
of  God  which  are  contained  in  scripture,  but  also  is  an 
earnest  trust  and  confidence  in  God,  that  he  doth  regard  us, 
that  he  is  careful  of  us,  as  the  father  is  over  the  child  whom 
he  doth  love,  and  that  he  will  be  merciful  to  us  for  his  only 
son's  sake."  "  As  the  light  cannot  be  hid,  but  will  show  it- 
self at  one  place  or  other,  so  true  faith  cannot  be  kept  secret; 
but,  when  occasion  is  offered,  it  will  break  out  and  show  it- 
self by  good  works."* 

*  No  one  can  read  these  passages,  and  those  describing  faith  in  the 
-catechisms  of  Noel,  Calvin,  and  others,  used  in  England  at  the  time  of 
the  Reformation,  and  in  the  other  writings  of  the  Reformers,  without 
seeing  that  by  a  true  faith  they  meant  not  a  mere  reception  of  Christi- 
anity as  a  gift  of  God  to  man,  however  sincere,  but  a  personal  appropri- 
ating faith — an  acceptance  of  the  terms  of  salvation  on  our  part — a  belief 
that  we  are  accepted — a  witness  of  the  spirit  that  we  are  God's  children. 
This  is  the  true  meaning  of  these  words  in  our  catechism,  "  faith,  where- 
by we  steadfastly  believe  the  promises  of  God  made  to  us  in  that  sacra- 
ment;" that  is,  we  steadfastly  believe  that  the  promises  of  forgiveness 
and  sanctification  have  been  fulfilled  in  us.  Whoever  will  read  the  long- 
er catechisms,  of  which  ours  is  an  abridgment,  will  be  well  persuaded 
that  such  is  the  true  design  and  meaning  of  this  part  of  our  short  cate- 
chism. 


117 

Our  next  quotation  is  from  the  second  sermon  on  the  Pas- 
sion, wherein  man's  hopeless  condition  is  set  forth  without 
a  Savior,  and  then  it  proceeds:  "Now  it  remaineth  that  I 
show  unto  you,  how  to  apply  Christ's  death  and  passion  to 
our  comfort,  as  a  medicine  to  our  wounds,  so  that  it  may 
work  the  same  effect  in  us  wherefore  it  was  given,  namely, 
the  health  and  salvation  of  our  souls.  For  as  it  profiteth  a 
man  nothing  to  have  salve,  unless  it  be  well  applied  to  the 
part  infected,  so  the  death  of  Christ  shall  stand  us  in  no 
force,  unless  we  apply  it  to  ourselves  in  such  sort  as  God 
hath  appointed.  Almighty  God  commonly  worketh  by 
means,  and  in  this  thing  he  hath  also  ordained  a  certain  mean, 
whereby  we  may  take  fruit  and  profit  to  our  soul's  health. 
What  mean  is  that  1  Forsooth  it  is  faith — not  an  uncertain 
or  wavering  faith,  but  a  sure,  steadfast,  grounded,  and  un- 
wavering faith.  God  sent  his  Son  into  the  world,  saith  St. 
John.  To  what  end?  That  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  Mark  these 
words — that  whosoever  believeth  in  him.  Here  is  the  mean 
whereby  we  must  apply  the  fruits  of  Christ's  death  unto  our 
deadly  wound.  Here  is  the  mean  whereby  we  must  obtain 
eternal  life,  namely,  faith."  After  quoting  a  number  of  in- 
stances from  scripture,  where  salvation  is  ascribed  to  faith 
only,  it  adds:  "By  this,  then,  you  may  well  perceive,  that 
the  only  mean  and  instrument  of  salvation  required  of  our 
part,  is  faith ;  that  is  to  say,  a  sure  trust  and  confidence  in 
the  mercies  of  God,  whereby  we  persuade  ourselves  that 
God  both  doth  and  will  forgive  our  sins — that  he  hath  ac- 
cepted us  again  into  his  favor — that  he  hath  released  us  from 
the  bonds  of  damnation,  and  received  us  again  into  the  num- 
ber of  his  elect  people,  not  for  our  merits  and  deserts,  but 
only  and  solely  for  the  merits  of  Christ's  death  and  passion." 
Again:  "Thus  have  we  heard,  in  few  words,  the  mean 
whereby  we  must  apply  the  fruits  and  merits  of  Christ's 
death  unto  us,  so  that  it  may  work  the  salvation  of  our  souls, 
namely,  a  sure,  steadfast,  perfect,  and  grounded  faith.  For 
as  all  they  which  beheld  steadfastly  trie  brazen  serpent  were 
healed  and  delivered,  at  the  very  sight  thereof,  from  their 
corporal  diseases  and  bodily  stings;  even  so  all  those  which 
behold  Christ  crucified  with  a  true  and  lively  faith,  shall 


118 

undoubtedly  be  delivered  from  the  grievous  wounds  of  the 
soul,  be  they  never  so  deadly  or  many  in  number."  The 
foregoing  are  only  a  few  out  of  many  passages  which  might 
be  adduced,  showing  how  faith  in  Christ — such  a  faith  as 
they  described — is  exclusively  the  instrument  of  justification, 
according  to  the  sentiment  of  the  writers,  appealing  to,  and 
quoting  the  word  of  God.  No  language  could  be  used 
which  would  more  effectually  shut  out  from  the  office  of  jus- 
tifying, not  only  baptism,  which  is  not  mentioned  as  accom- 
panying it,  but  hope,  love,  penitence,  and  all  virtues  and 
good  deeds,  however  much  they  are  enjoined. 

Let  us  now  see  how  differently  the  sacraments  are  spoken 
of,  and  what  a  different  office  is  assigned  them. 

The  homily  on  the  common  prayer  and  sacraments  begins 
thus  :  "Among  the  manifold  exercises  of  God's  people,  dear 
Christians,  there  is  none  more  necessary,  for  all  estates,  and 
at  all  times,  than  is  public  prayer  and  the  due  use  of  the 
sacraments.  For,  in  the  first,  we  beg  at  God's  hands  all 
such  things  as  otherwise  we  cannot  obtain;  and  in  the  other, 
he  embraceth  us  and  offereth  himself  to  be  embraced  of  us." 
What  is  meant  by  this,  is  shown  by  quotations  from  St. 
Augustine  on  the  nature  of  prayer  and  the  sacraments.  Ac- 
cording to  St.  Augustine,  the  homily  says,  a  sacrament  is 
"a  visible  sign  of  an  invisible  grace,  that  is  to  say,  that  set- 
teth  out  to  the  eyes  and  other  outward  senses,  the  inward 
working  of  God's  free  mercy,  and  doth,  as  it  were,  seal  in 
our  hearts  the  promises  of  God."  It  says  there  are  two 
sacraments,  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  "whereunto  is 
annexed  the  promise  of  free  forgiveness  of  our  sins,  and  of 
our  holiness  and  joining  in  Christ." 

Baptism  is  expressly  mentioned  in  the  homily  on  salvation 
or  justification,  immediately  after  the  most  explicit  declara- 
tion, that  the  merits  of  Christ,  embraced  by  faith,  are  ac- 
cepted of  God  "for  our  full  and  perfect  justification"  in 
the  following  manner:  "Insomuch  that  infants,  being  bap- 
tized and  dying  in  their  infancy,  are,  by  this  sacrifice, 
washed  from  their  sins,  brought  to  God's  favor,  and  made 
his  children,  and  inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
And  they  which,  in  act  or  deed,  do  sin  after  their  baptism, 
when  they  turn  to  God  unfeignedly,  they  are  likewise  washed 


119 

from  their  sins,  in  such  sort  that  there  remaineth  not  any 
spot  of  sin  that  shall  be  imputed  to  their  damnation."  In 
the  second  part  of  the  same  sermon  it  is  also  written,  that 
renouncing  all  our  own  virtues  and  good  deeds,  for  remis- 
sion of  sins  and  justification,  "we  must  trust  only  in  God's 
mercy,  and  that  sacrifice  which  our  high  priest  and  Savior 
Jesus  Christ  once  offered  for  us  on  the  cross,  to  obtain  there- 
by God's  grace  and  remission,  as  well  of  our  original  sin  in 
baptism,  as  of  all  actual  sin  committed  by  us  after  baptism, 
if  we  truly  repent  and  unfeignedly  turn  unto  him  again." 
There  is  still  another  passage  in  the  third  sermon  on  salva- 
tion or  justification,  upon  which  great  reliance  has  been 
placed,  for  the  doctrine  of  baptismal  justification.  It  is  found 
in  the  following  quotation : 

"  Here  you  have  heard  the  office  of  God  in  our  justifica- 
tion, and  how  we  receive  it  of  him  freely,  by  his  mercy, 
without  our  deserts,  through  true  and  lively  faith.  Now, 
you  shall  hear  the  office  and  duty  of  a  Christian  man  unto 
God  again,  for  his  great  mercy  and  goodness.  Our  office  is 
not  to  pass  the  time  of  this  present  life  unfruitfully  and  idly, 
after  that  we  are  baptized  or  justified,  not  caring  how  few 
good  works  we  do." 

This  passage,  "  after  we  are  baptized  or  justified,"  has 
been  often  triumphantly  quoted  by  those  who  advocate  the 
doctrine  of  baptismal  justification  as  sustaining  their  system* 
and  authorizing  the  use  of  the  term  baptism  as  synonymous 
with  justification.  It  is  well  that  they  should  make  the  best 
use  of  this  one  passage,  as  it  is  the  only  one  in  the  whole 
Book  of  Homilies  making  a  volume  of  more  than  five  hun- 
dred octavo  pages,  which  even  seems  to  countenance  it,  and 
because  there  is  not  one  to  be  found  throughout  all  the  offices 
of  the  Prayer  Book  which  has  been  attempted  to  be  used  in 
favor  of  the  identity  of  the  terms  baptize  and  justify.  Not 
only  this,  but  we  affirm  that  there  is  a  most  careful  avoid- 
ance in  our  articles,  offices,  and  homilies,  of  such  a  connec- 
tion of  justification  with  baptism  as  might  afford  the  shadow 
of  a  countenance  to  the  doctrine.  The  emphasis  is  exclu- 
sively laid  throughout  on  faith,  as  that  act  in  man  with 
which  God  has  connected  justification.  Could  the  Reform- 
ers have  forseen  the  revival  of  the  doctrine  of  baptismal  jus- 


120 

iification  in  the  Church,  and  wished  to  condemn  it  be- 
forehand, they  could  not  have  been  more  careful  in  their 
language,  unless  this  one  passage  be  an  exception.  But,  in 
opposition  to  all  our  other  standards,  to  the  whole  volume  of 
homilies,  where  we  are  so  often  said  to  be  saved,  to  be  justi- 
fied, by  faith  only,  and  not  even  in  part  by  penitence,  or  love, 
or  hope,  or  any  thing  else,  must  we  put  this  interpretation 
on  the  expression  we  are  now  considering;  when  we  remem- 
ber, too,  that  the  smallest  of  our  stops  omitted  or  introduced 
decides  the  sense  ?  When  it  is  said  "  after  we  are  bap- 
tized or  justified,"  must  we  needs  understand  the  homily  to 
say,  that  they  are  the  very  same  things,  or  so  identical  as  to 
time,  that  the  one  may  be  used  for  the  other,  they  being  in- 
separable ?  Does  the  copulative  word  or,  in  our  language, 
always  equalize  or  identify  the  two  things  on  either  side  of 
it?  If  we  consult  our  great  master  of  words,  Dr.  Johnson, 
we  find  that  it  is  sometimes  used  as  expressive  of  opposition, 
instead  of  identity;  at  others  as  a  substitute  for  the  word 
either.  The  homily,  therefore,  may  have  intended  to  say 
that  "  we  are  not  to  pass  the  rest  of  our  life  idly  after  we  are 
baptized,  and  thus  united  to  the  visible  church;  or  after  we 
are  justified  by  faith,  and  have  thus  realized  the  design  of 
baptism.  To  live  idly  is  inconsistent  with  both  of  these, 
and  therefore  must  be  condemned.  But,  as  the  true  way  of 
understanding  scripture  is  by  comparing  scripture  with 
scripture,  and  thus  ascertaining  its  true  scope  and  tenor,  so 
would  we  ask  the  reader  to  turn  to  this  homily  on  salvation, 
with  those  on  faith,  and  good  works  following  after  it,  and 
on  the  sacraments,  in  another  part  of  this  volume,  and  care- 
fully and  candidly  see  for  himself  whether  the  writer  there- 
of meant  to  teach  the  doctrine  of  baptismal  justification.  If 
they  be  not  satisfied  by  these,  then  let  them  read  over  the 
articles  on  the  subject;  and  if  they  be  not  thus  convinced,  I 
need  not  spend  words  in  the  effort. 

If,  indeed,  these  passages  in  the  homily  place  baptism  on 
a  higher  footing  in  common  with  faith  than  we  have  assigned 
it,  then  must  the  same  place  be  assigned  to  alms-giving,  to 
which  the  homily,  in  a  certain  sense,  ascribes  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins. 

After  quoting  various  passages  from  God's  word,  contain- 


121 

ing  great  promises  to  alms-giving  and  mercifulness,  saying 
that  they  purge  from  sin  and  deliver  from  death,  the  homily 
shows  that  these  things  are  only  the  fruits  of  grace,  the  evi- 
dences of  justification,  just  as  good  fruit  grows  on  a  good 
tree,  and  proves  that  it  is  good.  "  The  meaning,  then,  ci 
these  sayings  in  the  Scriptures,  and  other  holy  writings- 
alms-deeds  do  wash  away  our  sins,  and  mercy  to  the  poor 
doth  blot  out  our  offences — is  that  we,  doing  these  things 
according  to  God's  will  and  our  duty,  have  our  sins,  in- 
deed, washed  away,  and  our  offences  blotted  out,  not  for  the 
worthiness  of  them,  but  by  the  grace  of  God  which  worketh 
all  in  all;  and  that  for  the  promise  that  God  hath  made  to 
them  that  are  obedient  to  his  commandments,  that  he,  (that 
is  God,)  which  is  the  truth,  might  be  justified  in  performing 
the  truth  due  to  his  true  promise."  There  certainly  is  the 
promise  of  forgiveness  to  those  who  are  merciful  and  for- 
giving, just  as  there  is  of  remission  of  sins  to  baptism;  but 
have  we  a  right  to  say  that  we  are  justified  by  our  alms 
deeds  or  mercifulness  ?  There  are  those  who  maintain  that 
there  are  different  justifications*— justification  by  the  sacra- 
ments, justification  by  good  works,  justification,  also,  by 
faith;  and  various  degrees  of  justification.  Our  Church,  fol- 
lowing St.  Paul,  and  the  whole  tenor  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
not  thinking  that  St.  James  taught  any  other  doctrine,  con- 
fines it  to  faith,  without  derogating  from  the  promises  made 
to  baptism,  alms-giving,  or  any  other  duty;  for  she  well 
knew  the  confusion  and  mischief  which  has  ever  resulted 
from  extending  the  application  of  it  to  any  thing  else  than  a 
living  faith  in  Christ,  as  the  instrument  by  which  we  lay 
hold  of  the  merits  of  Christ,  through  which  alone  we  are 
justified  or  accounted  righteous  before  God.  We  might  ap- 
ply the  term  justification  to  baptism  in  the  same  sense  in 
which  St.  James  applies  it  to  the  works  of  Abraham,  as  the 
evidences  of  that  faith  by  which  alone  we  are  justified,  the 
effect  being  put  for  the  cause  or  instrument;  but  such  is  not 
the  use  made  of  the  word  in  our  articles.  As  Bishop  Jewell 
was  the  author  of  most  of  the  Homilies,  it  may  not  be  amiss 
here  to  insert  his  opinion  on  the  subject  of  remission  of  sins, 
in  connexion  with  absolution  and  baptism,  as  given  in  his 

11 


122 

apology,  which  was  set  forth  by  authority  in  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth,  as  the  exposition  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Church. 

"  Touching  the  keys  wherewith  they  (the  ministers)  may 
either  open  or  shut  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  we  with  Chry- 
sostom  say,  ■  they  be  the  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures.' 
"With  Tertullian,  we  say,  *  they  be  the  interpretation  of  the 
law;'  and  with  Eusebius,  we  call  them  '  the  word  of  God.'  *? 

The  American  annotator  on  Jewell  says,  that  he  explains 
the  meaning  of  Eusebius  thus  :  "  That  duly  receiving  the 
sacrament  ordained  by  Christ,  we  receive  also  the  remission 
of  sin,  is  not  any  way  denied.  For  the  substance  of  all  sa- 
craments is  the  word  of  God,  which  St.  Paul  calls  '  the  word 
of  reconciliation.'  This  word  is  the  instrument  of  remis- 
sion of  sin.  The  sacraments  are  the  seals  affixed  to  the 
same.  The  priest  is  the  mean.  Augustine  saith,  in  the 
water  is  the  word  of  God  that  maketh  clean.  Take  away 
the  word,  and  what  is  water  else  but  water." 

Jewell  elsewhere  says,  "  that  the  key,  whereby  the  way 
and  entry  to  the  kingdom  of  God  is  opened  unto  us,  is  the 
word  of  the  gospel,  and  the  expounding  of  the  law  and  scrip- 
tures." "  The  sacraments,"  he  says,  "  are  certain  holy 
signs  and  ceremonies  which  Christ  would  we  should  use, 
that  by  them  he  might  set  before  our  eyes  the  mysteries  of 
our  salvation,  and  might  more  strongly  confirm  the  faith  which 
we  have  in  his  blood,  and  might  seal  his  grace  in  our  hearts." 
With  the  fathers,  he  calls  them  "  visible  words,  seals  of 
righteousness,  and  tokens  of  grace."  "  The  grace  of  God 
(he  says)  is  given  us  in  the  sacraments,  because  it  is  repre- 
sented and  laid  before  us  in  the  sacraments  ;  we  use  them 
humbly,  as  instruments  of  the  grace  of  God."  See  chapter 
6th,  and  notes.  Again  he  says:  "The  sacraments  serve 
specially  to  direct  and  aid  our  faith  ;"  calling  them,  with  Au- 
gustin,  "  visible  words,  and  seals  and  testimonies  of  the  gos- 
pel." 

Having  thus  shown  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  on  the 
subject  of  justification,  as  set  forth  in  the  homilies,  I  pro- 
ceed to  that  which  is  the  leading  object  of  this  appendix, 
viz  :  to  see  what  is  the  proper  mode  Of  address  to  baptized 
children,  as  they  grow  in  age.  Shall  we  speak  to  them  as 
if  some  have  so  preserved  their  baptismal  purity — the  new 


123 

nature  supposed  to  be  given  them  in  baptism — that  they 
either  need  no  repentance,  or  only  require  to  have  renewed 
in  them  "  whatsoever  has  been  decayed  by  the  fraud  or  ma- 
lice of  the  devil,  or  by  their  own  carnal  will  or  frailness" 
according  to  the  language  of  the  service  for  the  sick,  which 
has  been  adduced  in  proof  of  the  doctrine,  though  we  can- 
not see  why  the  fraud  or  malice  of  the  devil  may  not  cause 
to  decay  a  holiness  acquired  after  baptism,  as  well  as  at  bap- 
tism. Or  shall  we  address  them  all  as  needing  that  repen- 
tance which  accomplishes  true  faith  and  turning  unto  God, 
when  they  come  to  years  of  discretion,  and  which  is  the 
same  with  conversion,  change  of  heart,  renovation,  new 
creature,  or  regeneration,  as  generally  used  among  Christians  ? 

There  are  two  homilies— the  one  on  falling  from  God, 
the  other  on  repentance — in  which  we  shall  surely  find 
out  the  true  sense  of  the  Church  on  this  subject. 

In  the  homily  on  falling  from  God,  the  word  baptism  is 
not  once  mentioned,  nor  any  allusion  that  we  can  perceive 
to  any  condition  into  which  it  places  us,  from  which  we  fall 
from  God.  Man  is  throughout  treated  as  a  sinner  turned 
away  from  God,  and  only  turning  to  him  by  faith  in  Christ ; 
but  who  may,  after  this,  fall  away  from  God.  Let  the  fol- 
lowing sentence  be  adduced  in  proof:  "  For  whereas  God 
hath  showed  to  all  them  that  truly  believe  his  gospel  his 
face  of  mercy  in  Jesus  Christ,  which  doth  so  lighten  their 
hearts  that  they  (if  they  behold  it  as  they  ought  to  do)  be 
transformed  to  his  image,  be  made  partakers  of  his  heavenly 
light  and  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  be  fashioned  to  him  in  all 
goodness  requisite  to  the  children  of  God;  so  that  if  they, 
after,  do  neglect  the  same,  if  they  be  unthankful  to  him,  if 
they  order  not  their  lives  according  to  his  example  and  doc- 
trine, and  to  the  setting  forth  of  his  glory,  he  will  take  away 
from  them  his  kingdom,  his  holy  word,  whereby  he  would 
reign  in  them,  because  they  bring  not  forth  the  fruit  thereof 
that  he  looketh  for."  Let  any  read  over  this  homily,  and 
then  ask  whether  any  one  at  this  time,  holding  the  views 
against  which  I  am  contending,  would  pen  such  a  sermon, 
in  which  there  is  not  the  least  allusion  to  baptismal  grace 
from  which  to  fall. 

We  proceed  to  the  sermon  on  repentance,  which  begins 


124 

thus :  "  There  is  nothing  that  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  so  much 
%bor  in  all  the  Scriptures  to  beat  into  men's  heads,  as  re- 
pentance, amendment  of  life,  and  speedy  returning  unto  the 
Lord  God  of  Hosts.  And  no  marvel  why — for  we  do  daily 
and  hourly,  by  our  wickedness  and  stubborn  disobedience, 
horribly  fall  away  from  God,  thereby  purchasing  unto  our- 
selves (if  he  should  deal  with  us  according  to  our  justice) 
eternal  damnation.  So  that  no  doctrine  is  so  necessary  in 
the  church  of  God  as  the  doctrine  of  repentance  and  amend- 
ment of  life."  In  this  sermon  is  considered  that  doctrine  which 
is  condemned  in  our  articles — that  of  the  impossibility  of  re- 
pentance to  those  who  commit  some  deadly  sin  after  baptism. 
It  is  remarkable,  however,  that  they  do  not  once  mention 
the  word  baptism,  but  use  language  which  shows  that  they 
consider  the  persons  treated  of  as  not  merely  baptized  in  in- 
fancy, but  having  come  to  God  through  faith  in  Christ  after- 
ward. "  Whereupon,  we  do  not  without  just  cause  detest 
and  abhor  the  damnable  opinion  of  them  which  do  most 
wickedly  go  about  to  persuade  simple  and  ignorant  people 
that  ifive  chance,  after  we  be  once  come  to  God  and  graft- 
ed in  his  son  Jesus  Christ,  to  fall  into  some  horrible  sin, 
repentance  shall  be  unprofitable  to  us,  there  is  no  more  hope 
of  reconciliation,  or  to  be  received  again  into  the  favor  of 
God."  After  quoting  various  scriptures  on  the  subject,  it 
says  :  "  It  is  most  evident  and  plain  that  these  things  ought 
to  be  understood  of  them  that  were  with  the  Lord  before, 
and  by  their  sins  and  wickedness  were  gone  away  from  him. 
For  we  do  not  turn  again  unto  him,  with  whom  we  were 
never  before,  but  we  come  unto  him."  Again,  it  uses  the 
same  words  :  "  Whereupon,  it  followeth  necessarily,  that 
although  we  do,  after  he  be  once  come  to  God  and  grafted 
into  his  son  Jesus  Christ,  fall  into  great  sins,"  etc.  That 
grafted  into  Christ  means  much  more  than  mere  baptism  in 
infancy  in  these  places,  is  evident  from  the  whole  discourse. 
Immediately  after,  it  speaks  of  "  David  being  by  the  same 
faith  justified  and  grafted  into  Jesus  Christ  to  come,"  and  that 
"Peter  was  grafted  into  Jesus  Christ,"  but  that  both  of  these, 
who  fell  after  a  known  and  professed  piety,  were  pardoned, 
on  repentance.  Throughout  the  three  sermons  into  which 
this  homily  is  divided,  there  is  neither  mention  of  baptism 


125 

nor  any  recognition  of  a  baptismal  purity  to  be  preserved  or 
lost.  If  any  should  still  say  that  "  our  coming  unto  Godr 
and  being  grafted  into  Christ,"  must  be  the  condition  in 
which  children  are  placed  by  baptism,  and  that  it  is  here 
meant,  we  refer  them  to  the  first  words  of  the  homily  on 
faith,  where  it  is  written :  "  The  first  coming  unto  God, 
good  Christian  people,  is  through  faith,  whereby  we  be  jus- 
tified before  God." 

The  Homily  on  the  Resurrection. 

This  homily  throws  light  on  the  last  quoted.  After  speak- 
ing of  the  glorious  effects  of  Christ's  death  and  resurrection 
in  taking  away  sin  and  malediction  and  death,  it  says:  "If 
thou  doubtest  of  so  great  wealth  and  felicity  that  is  wrought 
for  thee,  0  man,  call  to  thy  mind,  that  therefore  hast  thou 
received  into  thine  own  possession  the  everlasting  verity,  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  to  confirm  to  thy  conscience  the  truth 
of  all  this  matter.  Thou  hast  received  him,  if  in  true  faith 
and  repentance  of  heart  thou  hast  received  him,  if  in  pur- 
pose of  amendment  thou  hast  received  him,  for  an  everlast- 
ing gage,  or  pledge  of  thy  salvation."  A  little  farther  on  it 
says,  quoting  the  words  of  St.  Peter :  "  For  what  shall  it 
avail  us,  to  be  escaped  and  delivered  from  the  filthiness  of 
the  world  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  if  we  be  entangled  again  therewith,  and  be 
overcome  again?  Certainly  it  had  been  better,"  saith  he, 
"'never  to  have.known  the  way  of  righteousness,  than,  after 
it  is  known  and  received,  to  turn  back  again  from  the  holy 
commandment  of  God  given  unto  us;  for  so  shall  the  pro- 
verb have  place  in  us,  where  it  is  said,  '  the  dog  has  returned 
to  his  vomit  again,  and  the  sow  that  was  washed  to  her  wal- 
lowing in  the  mire  again."'  It  then  proceeds:  "What  a 
shame  it  were  for  us,  being  thus  so  clearly  and  freely  wash- 
ed from  our  sin,  to  return  to  our  filthiness  again  !  What  a 
folly  it  were,  thus  endowed  with  righteousness,  to  lose  it 
again !  What  madness  it  were  to  lose  the  inheritance  that 
we  be  now  set  in,  for  the  vile  and  transitory  pleasures  of 
sin  !"  After  pursuing  this  same  strain  for  some  time,  speak- 
ing to  those  who,  by  true  faith  and  penitence,  had  come  to> 
11* 


126 

God,  and  warning  them  against  falling  away  from  him,  it  then 
quotes  a  passage  from  -St.  Paul  on  the  resurrection,  in  which 
reference  is  made  to  our  profession  in  baptism  :  "  If  ye  de- 
light in  this  article  of  our  faith,  that  Christ  is  risen  again 
from  death  to  life,  then  follow  you  the  example  of  his  re- 
surrection, as  St.  Paul  exhorteth  us,  saying,  '  as  we  be 
buried  with  Christ  by  our  baptism  into  death,  so  let  us 
daily  die  to  sin,  mortifying  and  killing  the  evil  desires 
and  motions  thereof  And  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from 
death  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  so  let  us  rise  to  a  new 
life,  and  walk  continually  therein,  that  we  may  likewise, 
as  natural  children,  live  a  conversation  to  move  men  to 
glorify  our  Father  which  is  in  Heaven.  If,  therefore,  we 
be  risen  with  Christ,  by  our  faith,  to  the  hope  of  everlast- 
ing life,  let  us  rise  also  with  Christ,  after  his  example,  to 
a  new  life,  and  leave  our  old.  We  shall  then  be  truly 
risen,  if  we  seek  for  things  that  be  heavenly,  if  we  have 
our  affections  on  those  things  that  be  above,  and  not  on 
things  that  be  on  earth."  It  then  exhorts,  in  the  language 
of  scripture,  to  all  the  virtues  of  religion,  and  says  :  "  If 
these,  and  such  other  heavenly  virtues  ye  ensue  in  the  resi- 
due of  your  life,  ye  shall  show  plainly  that  ye  be  risen  with 
Christ,  and  that  ye  be  the  heavenly  children  of  your  Father 
in  Heaven,  from  whom,  as  from  the  giver,  cometh  these 
graces  and  gifts;  ye  must  consider  that  ye  be  therefore 
cleansed  and  renewed,  that  ye  should  from  henceforth  serve 
God  in  holiness  and  righteousness  all  the  days  of  your  lives, 
that  ye  may  reign  with  him  in  everlasting  life." 

Homilies  for  Good  Friday  and  Whitsunday. 

There  are  a  few  passages  in  these  homilies  which  bear  on 
the  subject  we  have  in  hand,  and  must  not  be  omitted.  In 
the  sermon  for  Good  Friday  it  is  written  :  "  For  Christ  hath 
not  so  redeemed  us  from  sin  that  we  may  safely  return  to  it 
again,  but  he  hath  redeemed  us  that  we  should  forsake  the 
motions  thereof  and  live  to  righteousness  ;  yea,  we  be  there- 
fore washed  in  our  baptism  from  the  filthiness  of  sin,  that  we 
should  live  afterward  in  the  pureness  of  life.  In  baptism  we 
promised  to  renounce  the  devil  and  his  suggestions  ;  we 


127 

promised  to  be  as  obedient  children,  always  following  God's 
will  and  pleasure."  And  a  little  after  it  is  said  :  "  For  such 
power  is  given  us  to  be  the  children  of  God,  so  many  as  be- 
lieve in  Christ's  name." 

In  the  above  extracts  there  is  a  passage  which  is  sometimes 
quoted  to  prove  a  moral  change  in  baptism,  which  may  su- 
persede any  other  in  afterlife  :  "  Yea,  wrebe  therefore  wash- 
ed in  our  baptism  from  the  filthiness  of  sin,  that  we  should 
live  afterward  in  the  pureness  of  life."  If  such  be  its  mean- 
ing, then  we  say  of  it,  as  of  a  preceding  passage,  that  there 
is  not  only  none  supporting  it  in  the  whole  book  of  homilies, 
or  in  the  prayer  book,  but  that  the  whole  tenor  of  both  is  op- 
posed to  it.  But  may  we  not  understand  the  words  "  wash- 
ed from  filthiness,"  as  used  in  scripture  and  by  the  Church, 
in  some  other  sense  than  as  signifying  a  moral  purification  of 
the  nature,  so  radical  as  not  to  require  renewing?  The 
Scriptures  certainly  sometimes  use  them  in  a  figurative  and 
sacramental  sense,  as  shewing  what  is  professed  and  design- 
ed, not  what  is  actually  possessed.  The  Church,  in  the  bap- 
tismal service,  speaks  of  the  "  mystical  washing  away  of  sin" 
as  something  different  from  a  radical  washing  of  the  heart. 
It  is  evidently  used  in  this  homily  to  signify  what  is  professed 
and  sought  for  in  baptism.  The  context  shews  this.  We 
are  there  represented  as  redeemed  by  Christ  from  sin,  "that 
we  should  forsake  the  motions  thereof,  and  live  to  righteous- 
ness," "  In  baptism  we  promised  to  renounce  the  devil  and 
his  suggestions."  "  For  such  power  is  given  us  to  be  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  so  many  as  believe  in  Christ's  name."  Again, 
we  refer  the  reader  to  the  whole  tenor  of  the  homilies,  and 
especially  to  the  one  from  which  the  disputed  passage  is 
taken. 

Homily  for  Whitsunday . 

In  this  we  have  a  full  account  of  the  operations  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  We  shall  perceive  by  some  passages  in  it  that 
the  word  regeneration  was  not  confined  to  the  act  of  sealing 
the  promises  of  God  in  baptism,  and  grafting  us  into  Christ's 
body,  the  Church ;  but  was  used  sometimes  in  its  higher 
sense. 


128 

ii  The  office  of  the  Father,  it  says,  is  to  create  ;  of  the  Son," 
to  redeem  ;  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  sanctify  and  regenerate. 
Whereof  the  last,  the  more  it  is  hid  from  our  understanding, 
the  more  it  ought  to  move  all  men  to  wonder  at  the  secret 
and  mighty  working  of  God's  Holy  Spirit  which  is  within 
us.  For  it  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  no  other  thing,  that  doth 
quicken  the  minds  of  men,  stirring  up  good  and  godly  mo- 
tions in  their  hearts,  which  are  agreeable  to  the  will  and 
commandment  of  God,  such  as  otherwise  of  their  own  crook- 
ed and  perverse  nature  they  should  never  have." 

After  mentioning  the  instances  of  the  working  of  this 
Spirit  in  David  and  Matthew,  and  Peter  and  Paul,  it  says  : 
"  Such  is  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  regenerate  men, 
and  as  it  were  to  bring  them  forth  anew,  so  that  they  shall 
be  nothing  like  the  men  they  were  before."  And  the  true 
rule  by  which  to  know  whether  the  Holy  Ghost  dwells  in 
•us,  it  declares  to  be,  by  our  having  its  fruits,  ulove,  joy, 
peace,  long  suffering,  gentleness,"  etc. 

It  concludes  thus  :  "  Let  us,  (as  we  are  most  bound,) 
give  hearty  thanks  to  God  the  Father,  and  his  son  Jesus 
Christ,  for  sending  down  his  Comforter  into  the  world,  hum- 
%ly  beseeching  him  so  to  work  in  our  hearts  by  the  power 
of  this  Holy  Spirit,  that  we  being  regenerate  and  newly 
born  again,  in  all  goodness,  righteousness,  sobriety,  and 
truth,  may  in  the  end  be  made  partakers  of  everlasting  life 
in  his  heavenly  kingdom,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  and 
Saviour."  That  these  passages  refer  to  some  marvellous 
•change  in  children  at  their  baptism,  I  presume  no  one  will 
maintain.  If  it  were  so,  it  is  most  strange  that  there  should 
be  not  a  word  about  it  in  the  homily.  To  say  that  children 
4t  are  regenerate  and  newly  born  at  their  baptism  in  all  good- 
ness, righteousness,  sobriety,  and  truth"  is  what  scarcely 
any  one  will  affirm  as  the  doctrine  of  the  church.  It  must  of 
course  refer  to  adults,  who  have  by  faith  and  repentance,  the 
work  of  the  Spirit,  become  new  creatures  in  Christ. 

We  shall  make  no  further  use  of  the  homilies  than  to 
show,  by  a  few  extracts,  how  they  address  themselves  to  all 
men  as  sinners,  and  how  they  use  the  law  in  order  to  bring 
them  to  a  knowledge  of  sin  ;  and  then,  how  faithfully  they 
condemn  all  manner  of  sins,  and  exhort  to  all  virtuous  and 


129 

good  deeds  ;  thus  shewing  what  kind  of  sermons  the  Church 
would  have  us  preach  to  the  young  baptized  persons,  when 
she  directs  the  sponsors  to  see  that  they  hear  sermons. 

In  the  first  part  of  the  homily  on  the  misery — that  is,  sin- 
fulness of  man — David  is  spoken  of  as  mourning  over  his 
sins  :  "  How  well  weigheth  this  holy  man  his  sins,  which 
he  confesseth  they  may  be  so  many  in  number,  and  so  hid 
and  hard  to  understand,  that  it  is  in  a  manner  impossible  to 
know,  utter,  or  number  them  ?  Wherefore  he  having  a  true, 
earnest,  and  deep  contemplation  and  consideration  of  his 
sins,  and  yet  not  coming  to  the  bottom  of  them,  he  maketh 
supplication  to  God  to  forgive  him  his  privy,  secret,  and  hid 
sins — the  knowledge  of  which  he  cannot  attain  unto.  He 
weigheth  rightly  his  sins  from  their  original  root  and  spring- 
head, perceiving  inclinations,  provocations,  stirrings,  sting- 
ings,  buds,  branches,  dregs,  infections,  tastes,  feelings,  and 
scents  of  them  to  continue  iri  him  still.  Wherefore  he  says, 
mark  and  behold,  I  was  conceived  in  sins — he  saith  not  sin, 
but  in  the  plural  number,  sins  ;  forasmuch  as  out  of  One,  as 
a  fountain,  spring  all  the  rest."  Here  was  David,  the  man 
after  God's  own  heart,  deeply  repenting  not  of  one  great  sin, 
but  of  many ;  and  is  it  not  dangerous  to  hold  out  now  the 
idea  that  there  be  some  baptized  persons  who  need  no  re- 
pentance,  and  many  who  need  but  little,  and  none  of  them  a 
thorough  conversion  of  soul — that  having  taken  place  in  the 
baptism  of  unconscious  infancy. 

In  the  second  part  of  the  homily,  on  the  same  subject,  it 
is  said,  "Forasmuch  as  the  true  knowledge  of  ourselves  is 
very  necessary  to  come  to  the  right  knowledge  of  God,  ye 
have  heard  in  the  last  reading  how  humbly  all  good  men 
have  always  thought  of  themselves  ;  and  so  to  think  and 
judge  of  themselves,  are  taught  of  God,  their  creator,  by  his 
holy  word.  .  For,  of  ourselves,  we  be  crabtrees  which  can 
bring  forth  no  apples.  We  be  of  ourselves  of  such  earth 
as  can  bring  forth  but  weeds,  nettles,  brambles,  briers,  cockle 
and  darnel.  Our  fruits  be  declared,  in  the  fifth  chapter  to 
the  Galatians,  we  have  neither  faith,  charity,  patience,  hope, 
chastity,  nor  any  thing  else  that  is  good,  but  of  God ;  and 
these  virtues  he  called  them  the  fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  not  the  fruits  of  man."     And  now,  instead  of  saying, 


130 

that  having  been  baptized  in  infancy,  our  natures  were 
changed,  and  some,  unlike  Adam,  have  never  fallen  from 
our  new  state,  and  others  but  little,  it  proceeds  to  speak  to 
all  as  miserable  and  wretched  sinners,  who  should  humble 
ourselves  before  God  and  cry  for  mercy.  "Let  none  of  us  be 
ashamed  to  say  with  holy  St.  Peter,  /  am  a  sinful  man. 
Let  us  say  with  holy  David,  We  have  sinned  with  our  fa- 
thers, we  have  done  amiss,  and  done  wickedly.  Let  us  all 
make  open  confession  with  the  prodigal  son  to  our  Father, 
and  say  with  him,  We  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  be- 
fore thee,  O  Father;  we  are  not  worthy  to  be  called  thy  sons. 
Let  us  all  say  with  holy  Baruch,  O  Lord,  our  God,  to  us  is 
worthily  ascribed  shame  and  confusion;  but  to  thee  righte- 
ousness. We  have  sinned,  we  have  done  wickedly,  we  have 
behaved  ourselves  ungodly  in  ail  thy  righteousness.  Let  us 
all  say  with  the  holy  prophet  Daniel,  O  Lord,  righteousness 
belongeth  unto  thee;  unto  us  belongeth  confusion.  We 
have  sinned,  we  have  been  naughty,  we  have  offended,  we 
have  fled  from  thee,  we  have  gone  back  from  all  thy  precepts 
and  judgments.  So  we  learn  of  all  good  men,  in  holy  Scrip- 
tures, to  humble  ourselves,  and  to  exalt,  extol,  praise,  mag- 
nify, and  glorify  God." 

In  the  homily  on  the  nativity,  in  the  second  book  of  hom- 
ilies, we  have  a  picture  of  man,  both  before  and  after  the  fall. 
•"He  was  made  according  to  the  image  and  similitude  of  God; 
he  was  indued  with  all  kinds  of  heavenly  gifts  ;  he  had  no 
spot  of  uncleanness  in  him ;  he  was  sound  and  perfect  in  all 
his  parts,  both  outwardly  and  inwardly;  his  reason  was  un- 
corrupt ;  his  understanding  was  pure  and  good ;  his  will  obe- 
dient and  godly;  he  was  made  altogether  like  unto  God,  in 
righteousness  and  holiness,  in  wisdom  and  truth  ;  to  be  short, 
in  all  kind  of  perfection." 

Thus  perfect  was  man,  as  he  first  came  from  the  hands  of 
God.  But  now,  some  say,  that  justifying  righteousness  was 
a  subsequent  gift,  and  that  this  was  lost  by  the  fall,  and  can 
be  restored  only  in  baptism,  which  justifies  us,  and  places  us 
on  the  same  footing  with  Adam;  and  that  we  must  see  and 
not  lose  it,  or  else  it  is  doubtful  whether  we  ever  regain  it. 
Against  this  doctrine  one  of  our  articles  protests. 

Let  us  now  see  his  picture  after  the  fall,  as  set  forth  in  the 


131 

homily  just  quoted.  "Whereby  it  came  to  pass,  that  as  be- 
fore he  was  blessed,  so  now  he  was  accursed;  as  before 
he  was  loved,  so  now  he  was  abhorred ;  as  before  he  was- 
most  beautiful  and  precious,  so  now  he  was  most  vile- 
and  wretched  in  the  sight  of  his  Lord  and  master;  instead 
of  the  image  of  God,  he  was  now  become  the  image  of  the 
Devil ;  instead  of  the  citizen  of  heaven,  he  was  now  become 
the  bondslave  of  hell;  having  in  himself  no  one  part  of  his 
former  purity  and  cleanness,  but  being  altogether  spotted  and 
defiled,  insomuch  that  now  he  seemed  to  be  nothing  else  but 
a  lump  of  sin;  and,  therefore,  by  the  just  judgment  of  God, 
was  condemned  to  everlasting  death.  This,  so  miserable  a 
plague,  if  it  had  only  rested  on  Adam,  who  first  offended,  it 
had  been  so  much  the  easier,  and  might  the  better  have  been 
borne.  But  it  fell  not  only  on  him,  but  on  his  posterity  and 
children  forever,  so  that  the  whole  brood  of  Adam's  flesh 
should  sustain  the  self-same  fall  and  punishment  which  their 
forefather,  by  his  offence,  most  justly  had  deserved."  Again, 
in  the  same  sermon,  it  is  said,  "Before  Christ's  coming  into 
the  world,  all  men,  universally  in  Adam,  were  nothing  else 
but  a  wicked  and  crooked  generation,  rotten  and  corrupt 
trees,  stony  ground,  full  of  brambles  and  briers,  etc.  But 
after  he  was  once  come  down  from  heaven,  and  had  taken 
our  frail  nature  upon  him,  he  made  all  them  that  would  re- 
ceive him  truly,  and  believe  his  word,  good  trees,  mid  good 
ground,  fruitful  and  pleasant  branches,  children  of  light, 
citizens  of  heaven,  sheep  of  his  fold,  members  of  his  body, 
heirs  of  his  kingdom,  his  true  friends  and  brothers,  sweet 
and  living  bread,  the  elect  and  chosen  people  of  God.,T 
After  quoting  both  St.  Peter  and  Paul,  on  the  condition  of 
man  in  his  fallen  state,  it  then  says,  in  the  words  of  the  lat- 
ter, "But  after  the  loving  kindness  of  God,  our  Savior  offer- 
ed to  save  mankind,  not  according  to  the  righteousness  which 
we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  great  mercy,  he  saved  us 
by  the  fountain  of  the  new  birth,  and  by  the  renewing  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  he  poured  upon  us  abundantly  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Savior;  that  we  being  once  j testified  by  his 
grace,  should  be  heirs  of  eternal  life,  through  faith  and 
hope  in  his  blood.''''  It  would  appear,  that  those  who  "re- 
ceived him  truly  and  believed  in  his  word,  were  the  persons 


132 

who  were  made  good  trees  and  good  ground;"  not  infants  at 
their  baptism. 

Let  us  now  see  how  the  authors  of  our  homilies  proceed, 
in  order  to  bring  men  to  a  proper  sen&e  of  that  lost  condition 
.  which  they  set  forth  throughout  the  volume. 

In  the  homily  for  Good  Friday,  when  they  desire  to 
make  all  men  feel  their  desperate  condition  without  a  Saviour, 
they  show  that  all  the  sacrifices  which  could  be  offered  are 
utterly  ineffectual  to  atone  for  sin,  and  then  ask  "  what  should 
he  then  do  ?"  Should  he  go  about  to  serve  and  keep  the 
law  of  God  divided  into  two  tables,  and  so  purchase  to  him- 
self eternal  life  ?  Indeed,  if  Adam  and  his  posterity  had  been 
able  to  satisfy  and  fulfil  its  law  perfectly,  in  loving  God 
above  all  things,  and  their  neighbor  as  themselves,  then 
should  they  have  easily  quenched  the  Lord's  wrath  and  es- 
caped the  terrible  sentence  of  eternal  death  pronounced 
against  them  by  Almighty  God ;  for  it  is  written,  do  thus 
and  thou  shalt  live  ;  that  is  to  say,  fulfil  thy  commandments, 
keep  thyself  upright  and  perfect  in  them  according  to  my 
will,  then  shalt  thou  live  and  not  die.  Here  is  eternal  life 
promised  on  this  condition,  and  so  that  they  keep  and  ob- 
serve the  law.  But,  such  was  the  frailty  of  mankind  after 
his  fall,  such  was  his  weakness  and  imbecility,  that  he  could 
not  walk  uprightly  in  God's  commandments,  though  he 
would  never  so  fain,  but  daily  and  hourly  fell  from  his 
bounden  duty,  offending  the  Lord  his  God  divers  ways,  to 
the  great  increase  of  his  condemnation,  insomuch  that  the 
prophet  David  cried  out  in  this  wise:  "  All  are  gone  astray, 
all  are  become  unprofitable;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no, 
not  one."  In  this  case  what  profit  could  we  have  by  the 
law?  None  at  all ;  for  so  St.  James  saith,  '  he  that  shall  ob- 
serve the  whole  law,  and  yet  faileth  in  one  point,  is  become 
guilty  of  all.'  And  in  the  book  of  Deuteronomy  it  is  writ- 
ten, "  cursed  be  he,  saith  God,  which  abideth  not  in  all 
things  that  aie  written  in  the  law  to  do  them."  Behold,  the 
law  brought  a  curse  with  it  and  maketh  it  guilty,  not  because 
it  is  of  itself  naught  or  unholy — God  forbid  we  should  so 
think — but  because  the  frailty  of  our  sinful  flesh  is  such  that 
we  can  never  fulfil  it  according  to  the  perfection  that  the 
Lord  requireth.     Could  Adam,  then,  think  you,  hope  or  trust 


133 

to  be  saved  by  the  law  ?  No,  he  could  not.  But  the  more 
he  looked  on  the  law,  the  more  he  saw  his  own  damnation 
set  before  his  eyes,  as  it  were  in  a  clear  glass.  So  that 
now,  of  himself,  he  was  most  wretched  and  miserable,  desti- 
tute of  all  hope,  and  never  able  to  pacify  God's  heavy  dis- 
pleasure, nor  yet  to  escape  the  terrible  judgment  of  God, 
whereunto  he  and  all  his  posterity  had  fallen  by  disobeying 
the  strait  commandment  of  the  Lord  their  God.  But  O  the 
abundant  riches  of  God's  great  mercy  !  O  the  unspeakable 
goodness  of  his  heavenly  wisdom !  When  all  hope  of 
righteousness  was  past  on  our  part,  when  we  had  nothing  in 
ourselves  whereby  we  might  quench  his  burning  wrath,  and 
work  the  salvation  of  our  own  souls,  and  rise  out  of  the  mis- 
erable estate  wherein  we  lay ;  then,  even  then,  did  Christ, 
the  son  of  God,  by  the  appointment  of  his  Father,  come 
down  from  Heaven,  to  be  wounded  for  our  sakes,  to  be  re- 
puted for  the  wicked,  to  be  condemned  unto  death,  to  take 
upon  him  the  reward  of  our  sins,  and  to  give  his  body  to  be 
broken  on  the  cross  for  our  offences." 

Such  is  the  use  we  are  taught  to  make  of  the  law.  By  it 
the  ministers  of  God  must  endeavor  to  make  the  knowledge 
of  sin  come  into  their  people's  hearts.  No  minister,  who  does 
not  understand  this  jight  use  of  it,  can  hope  to  awaken  sin- 
ners to  a  sense  of  their  lost  state,  or  to  keep  christians  very 
humble  at  sight  of  the  sins  even  of  their  most  holy  things. 
Our  Church,  in  perfect  consistency,  sets  forth  this  in  two 
other  places.  In  the  catechism,  after  making  our  children 
repeat  the  commandments,  she  gives  a  short  but  most  com- 
prehensive explanation  of  them,  applying  them  to  the  very 
thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart,  though  some  of  them  seem 
only  addressed  to  the  outward  act.  Let  a  minister  or  parent 
only  take  that  as  his  rule  of  interpretation,  and  enlarge  on  it, 
by  the  help  of  the  Scriptures,  and  he  will  make  a  faithful  use 
of  the  moral  law.  On  another  occasion,  also,  does  the 
Church  adopt  a  most  effective  method  of  preaching  the  law, 
so  as  to  convince  of  sin.  She  bids  her  ministers,  in  the  most 
solemn  manner,  read  these  laws  to  the  congregation  on  their 
bended  knees,  and  pausing  after  each  one,  requires  the  peo- 
ple thus  prostrate  before  God  to  cry  out  "  Lord  have  mercy 
upon  us,  and  incline  our  hearts  to  keep  this  law."  Why 
12 


134 

cry  for  mercy,  that  is,  for  pardon,  if  they  had  not  broken  each 
one.  Why  pray,  incline  our  hearts  to  keep  this  law,  if  each 
law  was  not  addressed  to  the  very  heart,  and  forbid  every 
improper  thought  and  feeling,  and  required  all  within  us  to- 
love  and  keep  the  same. 

It  is  to  be  feared  that  too  many,  even  on  their  bended 
laiees,  hear  these  laws,  and  repeat  the  prayer,  who,  never- 
theless, do  not  understand  how  broad  the  commandment  is, 
I  know  not  a  more  useful  subject  for  a  small  tract  than  an  ex- 
planation of  this  part  of  our  service.  Let  each  command- 
ment be  sustained  by  some  of  the  many  precepts  of  scripture, 
showing  that  it  reached  to  our  thoughts  and  feelings,  and  te 
things  leading  to  its  transgression,  so  as  to  prevent  its  being^ 
understood  only  in  the  letter,  and  applied  only  to  the  out- 
ward act.  Then  let  the  sinner,  crying  for  mercy,  specify 
some  of  these  in  an  enlargement  of  the  prayer.  Then  let  him 
enlarge,  also,  the  petition  that  God  would  incline  his  heart 
to  keep  this  law,  by  specifying  some  of  the  many  ways  in: 
Avhich  it  should  be  kept  by  the  heart.  In  fine,  let  them  be 
only  a  paraphrase  of  the  commandment  and  of  that  short 
prayer,  and  it  might  be  an  useful  help  to  the  penitential  ex- 
ercises of  the  sincere  and  humple  worshipper,  and  even  in  the 
hands  of  an  unawakened  sinner  an  instrument  of  conviction* 

To  conclude  with  the  Homilies. 

The  minister  of  our  Church  will  not  do  them  justice,  un- 
less he  imitate  not  only  their  sound  exposition  of  man's 
guilty  state  and  deep  depravity,  their  clear  exhibitions  of  the- 
plan  of  salvation,  their  right  use  of  the  law,  but  also  their 
bold  and  faithful  condemnation  of  all  vices  and  follies,  and 
their  zealous  exhortation  to  every  virtue  and  good  work^ 
Herein  do  they  copy  after  the  example  of  our  Lord  and  his 
Apostles.  While  they  set  forth  justification  by  faith  only,  it 
"was  not  by  a  faith  without  good  works,  which  is  dead  and 
unprofitable.  While  they  set  forth  salvation  by  grace  only, 
they  did  not  allow  sin  that  grace  might  abound.  In  the 
"whole  compass  of  preaching,  from  the  Apostles'  day  to  the 
present,  bolder  rebukes  of  sin  cannot  be  found.  They  spared 
^nothing.     Extravagance  in  dress,  excess  in  eating  as  well; 


135 

as  drinking,  and  certain  vices  which,  though  now  and  al- 
ways practised,  and  which  now  will  scarce  bear  to  be  men- 
tioned, except  when  read  in  the  word  of  God,  they  publicly 
xebuked.  They  descended  to  particulars  as  to  the  things  to  be 
avoided  and  things  to  be  done,  and  thus  proved  that  they 
did  not  make  void  the  law  through  faith ;  that  the  grace  of 
God  which  they  preached  was  that  which  taught  that,  deny- 
ing ungodliness,  and  all  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  sober- 
ly, righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  evil  world. 

In  this,  my  dear  brethren  of  the  ministry,  for  whom  this 
appendix  is  chiefly  designed,  to  stir  up  your  pure  minds  by 
way  of  remembrance,  though  you  knew  these  things  before, 
let  us  also  faithfully  follow  them;  for  our  duty  is  to  tell  the 
people  both  the  things  they  are  to  do  and  to  forbear,  as  well 
as  what  they  must  believe  and  how  they  must  feel. 

In  drawing  to  a  close  these  extracts  from  the  homilies,  we 
must  repeat  our  assertion,  that  these,  together  with  our  arti- 
cles, are  to  be  regarded  as  explanations  of  the  language  of 
the  Church  in  her  offices,  being  of  later  date  than  those 
•expressions  in  the  offices  which  have  been  the  subject  of 
dispute.  Those  expressions  were  retained,  when  the  offices, 
coming  down  from  more  ancient  times,  were  adapted  to  the 
reformed  Church,  on  the  principle  of  retaining  whatever  was 
rendered  dear  by  long  use,  that  was  not  evidently  false,  espe- 
cially when  the  language  was  scriptural.  The  articles  and 
homilies,  taken  as  a  whole,  were  certainly  more  modern  as 
to  their  language,  and,  for  that  very  reason,  should  be  re- 
garded as  explanatory  of  the  former;  just  as  a  comment  is 
more  modern  than  the  text,  and  is  explanatory  of  it.  There 
are  those  who  are  disposed  to  elevate  the  offices  above  the 
articles  and  homilies,  on  account  of  the  greater  antiquity  of 
some  parts  of  them,  and  because  they  seem  most  to  favor 
some  of  the  high  views  lately  advocated  in  the  Church  of 
England  and  America.  The  author,  believing  that  the  fram- 
ers  of  all  of  them  intended  that  they  should  speak  the  same 
sentiments,  and  that  those  expressed  more  entirely  in  their 
own  language  should  define  the  meaning  of  the  others,  de- 
sires to  make  no  difference  between  them,  and  to  institute 
no  invidious  comparison. 

Before   dismissing  this   subject  he  cannet  but  refer  to 


136 

an  unauthorized  attempt  to  weaken  the  force  of  some  of 
the  homilies,  by  a  passage  introduced  into  the  American 
edition  of  them.  Who  the  author  of  the  passage  was, 
he  knows  not.  It  is  as  follows  :  'k  In  addition  to  the  above, 
it  should  be  recollected,  that,  in  estimating  the  homilies, 
as  evidence  of  the  opinions  of  the  Reformers,  a  differ- 
ence should  be  regarded  between  the  two  books.  The 
first  of  them  was  made  a  public  document  in  the  reign  of 
Edward  the  Sixth.  The  other  was  prepared  in  the  same 
reign,  but  not  published  until  about  four  years  after  the  ac- 
cession of  Elizabeth.  That  they  were  then  reconsidered, 
and  somewhat  altered,  is  reasonable  to  be  supposed  ;  and 
indeed  there  is  internal  evidence  of  the  fact."  Now,  the 
35th  article,  both  of  the  English  and  American  Church, 
adopts  them  both,  as  containing  a  godly  and  wholesome  doc- 
trine, without  intimating  that  there  is  a  shadow  of  difference 
between  them.  The  English  Church  caused  them  all  to  be 
used  in  the  congregations  throughout  the  kingdom.  The 
American  Church  suspended  the  reading  of  them  "  until  a 
revision  of  them  may  be  conveniently  made,  for  clearing  of 
them  as  well  from  obsolete  words  and  phrases  as  from  the 
local  references." 

The  author  of  the  above  unauthorized  remark  does  not  of- 
fer a  word  showing  why  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the 
second  book  of  homilies  was  reconsidered  and  altered,  or 
what  is  the  internal  evidence  of  the  fact. 

In  reading  over  the  homilies,  with  a  view  to  the  prepara- 
tion of  this  treatise,  the  author  of  it  was  not  unmindful  of  the 
above  statement,  and  was  careful  to  observe  wherein  the  dif- 
ference consisted.  He  could  perceive  no  new  doctrine,  but 
only  that  in  some  of  the  latter  the  evils  of  the  fall,  and  the 
necessity  of  repentance  to  all  men,  were  more  enlarged 
upon  than  in  the  brief  discourses  of  the  first  volume.  To 
some    such   language  savors  of  what  is  called  Calvinism.* 


*  An  effort  is  sometimes  made  to  excite  prejudice  against  the  old  evan- 
gelical portion  of  the  English  clergy  and  their  successors,  by  represent- 
ing them  as  Puritanical  Calvinists.  Truth  ought  to  be  stated  on  this 
subject.  Amongst  them,  as  amongst  the  Reformers,  and  probably  in 
lesser  numbers,  there  certainly  were  those  who  held  the  Calvinistic  sys- 
tem.    The  broad  platform  laid  down  in   our  articles  easily  admitted 


137 

It  becomes  us,  in  these  times,  most  watchfully  and  resolutely 
to  hold  fast  to  all  the  authorized  expositions  of  the  doctrines 
of  the  Reformation,  for  there  are  those  who  would  cast  some 
of  them  into  an  inferior  position,  and  explain  away  others, 
so  as  to  neutralize  their  effect.  It  cannot  be  disguised  that 
a  leaven  of  doubt  and  hesitation  as  to  the  full  acceptance  and 
observance  of  the  doctrines  and  usages  of  the  Church,  as  es- 
tablished at  the  Reformation,  has  been  for  some  years  spread- 
ing through  England  and  America.  It  is  not  the  apostacy  of 
the  few  who  have  gone  over  to  Rome,  but  the  wavering  and 
uncertainty  of  the  many,  which  is  most  to  be  feared  and 
most  to  be  opposed.  Amongst  the  latter  are  doubtless  many- 
pious  persons,  who  should  be  treated  with  all  tenderness, 
and  reasoned  with  in  a  spirit  of  meekness.  If  the  author 
has  ever  departed  from  this  spirit,  he  asks  forgiveness. 

Some  other  authorities. 

The  importance  of  the  subject  will  justify  the  addition  to 
Ihose  adduced  from  the  Scriptures  and  homilies,  of  a  few 
other  authorities  of  weight. 


them,-  and  those  differing  from  them  on  this  subject.  When  the  author 
"was  in  England  a  few  years  since,  it  was  his  happiness  to  meet  with 
the  old  and  venerable  Mr.  Gisborn,  one  of  the  early  leaders  of  the 
^evangelical  party,  whose  house  was  a  place  of  rendezvous,  not  only 
for  the  clergy,  but  for  such  persons  as  Wilberforce,  the  Thorntons, 
Grants,  and  Hannah  More.'  Speaking  on  this  subject,  he  stated  that, 
though  there  was  a  great  diversity  of  sentiment  in  regard  to  it  amongst 
them,  there  being  Calvinists  and  Arminians  of  various  grades,  yet  it 
never  in  the  slightest  degree  interrupted  their  harmonious  action  and  de- 
lightful intercourse.  The  old  man  was  himself  a  decided  Arminian, 
and  presented  me  with  a  little  volume  of  his  own  composition  in  de- 
fence of  the  system.  The  most  prominent  representatives  of  the  Evan- 
gelical party  among  the  laity  were  Wilberforce  and  Miss  Hannah 
Moore  ;  but  whoever  complained  of  either  the  Calvinism  or  Arminian- 
ism  of  their  most  admirable  writings  ?  The  Christian  Observer  has  now 
for  more  than  fifty  years  represented  the  opinions  of  both  the  clergy  and 
laity  of  that  school ;  but  whoever  charged  that  moderate  and  excellent 
work  with  puritanical  Calvinism?  If  we  trace  the  school,  as  some  pre- 
fer to  do,  but  not  with  sufficient  reason,  to  Mr.  Wesley  and  Mr.  Whit- 
field, in  their  pious  zeal  while  at  Oxford,  we  find  that  these  eminent  men 
differed  entirely  on  the  Calvinistic  points,  and  that  Arminianism  has, 
.among  their  successors,  prevailed  greatly  over  its  opposite. 

12# 


138 

One  more  only  from  the  highest  standards  of  our  Church— 
our  articles.  There  are  those  who,  disgusted  with  some  ex- 
travagant accounts  of  inward  exercises,  of  bright  manifesta- 
tion, of  rapturous  hope  in  some  of  those  who  profess  a  con- 
version of  soul  unto  God,  or  else  from  very  inadequate  views 
of  man's  state  by  nature  and  actual  sin,  are  much  disposed 
to  reduce  religion  to  the  mere  use  of  forms,  a  correct  moral 
life,  and  an  unconscious  embracing  of  the  Lord  who  bought 
us.  To  them  we  would  present  a  description  of  the  religion 
of  the  heart,  in  its  rise  and  progress,  from  one  of  the  articles 
of  the  Church,  which  we  hope  they  will  attentively  consider. 
It  is  a  passage  in  the  seventeenth  article,  and  that  part  of  it 
about  which  there  can  be  no  difference  of  opinion  as  to  its 
meaning.  Speaking  of  our  election  in  Christ,  it  says  : 
"They  which  be  endued  with  so  excellent  a  benefit  of  God, 
be  called  according  to  God's  purpose,  by  his  Spirit  working 
in  due  season;  they,  through  grace,  obey  the  calling;  they 
be  justified  freely;  they  be  made  the  sons  of  God  by  adop- 
tion; they  be  made  like  the  image  of  his  only  begotten  son 
Jesus  Christ;  they  walk,  religiously  in  good  works,  and  at 
length,  by  God's  mercy,  they  attain  to  everlasting  felicity." 
Can  any  words  more  accurately  describe  the  manner  in 
which  true  piety  begins,  continues,  and  ends  ?  The  article 
also  proceeds  to  speak  of  such  persons  as  "they  who  feel  in 
themselves  the  working  of  the  spirit  of  Christ,  mortifying 
the  works  of  the  flesh  and  their  earthly  members,  and  draw- 
ing up  their  minds  to  high  and  heavenly  things."  Now  of 
all  this  the  subjects  must  be  conscious.  This  is  only  ano- 
ther mode  of  expressing  what  takes  place  in  the  heart  when, 
by  the  word  and  Spirit,  true  faith  and  repentance  are  wrought. 
Both  of  these  are  only  varied  modes  of  expressing  what  is 
contained  in  their  baptismal  vows,  which  are  renewed  in 
confirmation.  To  renounce  the  Devil  and  all  his  works — 
the  pomps  and  vanities  of  this  wicked  world,  and  all  the  sin- 
ful lusts  of  the  flesh;  to  believe  all  the  articles  of  the 
Christian  faith,  and  to  feel  determined  to  serve  God  all  our 
days.  What  is  all  this  but  true  repentance  and  faith.  Those 
who  truly  feel  and  believe,  and  resolve  thus,  are  the  persons 
described  in  the  seventeenth  article.  In  reply  to  any  persons 
who  ask,  does  the  Church  require  conversion,  or  a  new 


139 

heart,  in  order  to  confirmation  and  full  communion;  we 
may  simply  ask,  can  any  but  a  truly  converted  person  re- 
nounce the  Devil  and  all  his  works,  the  world  and  all  that  is 
evil  in  it,  and  all  sin  in  his  members  ?  Can  any  but  a  con- 
verted soul  believe  all  that  the  apostles  believed,  and  resolve 
to  do  all  God's  will  1  Our  Church,  instead  of  simply  ask- 
ing are  they  converted  or  not,  adopts  a  more  special  and 
heart-searching  method,  and  publicly  demands  whether  they 
do  feel  and  believe  what  is  contained  in  those  solemn  ques- 
tions— requiring  parents  and  ministers  faithfully  to  instruct 
the  candidates  in  the  true  meaning  thereof,  and  be  satisfied 
of  their  sincerity  and  worthiness,  before  they  present  them 
to  the  bishop. 

King  Edward's  Primer. 

The  following  quotations  are  from  a  book  containing  les- 
sons from  scripture  and  prayers  set  forth  by  authority,  in  the 
reign  of  Edward  Sixth,  and  designed  for  the  use  of  families. 
In  it  there  are  prayers  which  clearly  show,  that  they  recog- 
nised no  such  regeneration  in  baptism  as  superseded  the  ne- 
cessity of  what  we  now  understand  by  conversion  or  the 
new  birth. 

The  following  prayer  for  the  Holy  Ghost  will  plainly 
show  this:  "So  frail  is  our  nature,  so  vile  is  our  flesh,  so 
lewd  is  our  heart,  so  corrupt  are  our  affections,  so  wicked 
are  all  our  thoughts,  even  from  our  childhood  upwards,  that 
of  ourselves  we  can  neither  think,  breathe,  speak,  or  do  any 
thing  that  is  praiseworthy  in  thy  sight,  O  Heavenly  Father  ; 
yea,  except  thou  dost  assist  us  with  thy  merciful  goodness, 
all  things  are  so  out  of  frame  in  us,  that  we  see  nothing  pre- 
sent in  ourselves,  but  thy  heavy  displeasure  and  eternal  dam- 
nation. Vouchsafe,  therefore,  O  sweet  Father,  to  send  thy 
Holy  Spirit  unto  us,  which  may  make  us  new  creatures — 
put  away  from  us  all  fleshly  lusts — fill  our  hearts  with  new 
affections  and  spiritual  motions,  and  so  altogether  renew  us, 
both  in  body  and  soul,  through  his  godly  inspiration,  that  we 
may  die  unto  old  Adam,  and  live  unto  thee  in  newness  of 
life,  serving  thee,  our  Lord  God,  in  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness, all  the  days  of  our  life."     Amen. 


140 

The  following  is  a  prayer  for  the  true  knowledge  of  our- 
selves :  "It  is  written  in  thy  holy  Gospel,  most  loving  Sa- 
vior, that  thou  earnest  into  this  world,  not  to  call  the  righte- 
ous, that  is,  such  as  justify  themselves,  but  sinners  unto 
repentance.  Suffer  me  not,  therefore,  O  Lord,  to  be  of  the 
number  of  those  justiciaries,  which,  boasting  their  own  righ- 
teousness, their  own  works  and  merits,  despise  that  righte- 
ousness which  is  by  faith — which  alone  is  allowable  before 
thee.  Give  me  grace  to  knowledge  mine  own  self  as  I  am, 
■even  the  son  of  wrath  by  nature,  a  wretched  sinner  and  an 
unprofitable  servant,  and  wholly  to  depend  on  thy  merciful' 
.goodness  with  a  strong  and  unshaken  faith,  that  in  this  world 
thou  mayest  continually  call  me  to  true  repentance,  seeing  I 
continually  sin;  and,  in  the  world  to  come,  bring  me  to  ever- 
lasting glory."     Amen. 

Another  for  faith :  "Forasmuch  as  nothing  please th  thee 
'that  is  done  without  faith,  appear  it  before  the  blind  world 
never  so  beautiful  and  commendable,  but  is  accounted  in  thy 
sight  sinful  and  damnable,  yea,  the  self  sin  and  damnation  ; 
this  is  most  humbly  to  desire  thee,  O  Father,  for  Christ's 
sake,  to  breathe  into  my  heart,  by  thy  Holy  Spirit,  this  most 
precious  and  singular  gift  of  faith,  which  worketh  by  char- 
ity^whereby,  also,  we  are  justified  and  received  into  thy 
favor;  that  I,  truly  believing  in  thee,  and  fully  persuaded  of 
the  truth  of  thy  holy  word,  may  be  made  thy  son  and  in- 
heritor of  everlasting  glory,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 
Amen. 

Now,  let  it  be  remembered,  that  these  prayers  were  set 
forth  to  be  used  in  families  where  all  had  been  baptized  in 
infancy;  for,  at  that  time,  there  was  not  even  a  service  for 
the  baptism  of  adults,  nor  for  a  considerable  period  after- 
wards, there  being  no  occasion  for  it.  Not  a  word  in  them 
supposes  any  thing  like  a  moral  regeneration  in  baptism,  but 
the  very  contrary.  The  prayer  for  faith  shows  that  nothing 
was  recognised  as  acceptable  to  God,  until  that  entered  the 
heart,  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit,  and  that  it  was  the  sole 
instrument  of  justification. 


141 

The  sentiments  of  some  of  the  early  reformers. 

From  which  it  is  evident,  that  even  at  that  time  the  word 
regeneration  was  used  in  two  senses,  as  it  evidently  was 
sometimes  by  the  fathers  :  the  one,  the  sense  which  we  have 
supposed  belongs  to  it  in  the  baptismal  service  ;  the  other, 
the  renewing  of  the  mind,  when  faith  and  repentance  take 
place. 

Bishop  Latimer's  opinion. 

In  one  of  his  sermons,  preached  before  Edward  Sixth,* 
wherein  he  sets  forth  the  efficacy  of  preaching  the  word,  he 
says  :  "  Beware,  beware  you  diminish  not  this  office,  for  if 
you  do,  ye  decay  God's  power  to  all  who  do  believe.  Christ 
saith,  consonant  to  the  same,  'except  a  man  be  born  again, 
from  above,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.'  'He  must 
have  a  regeneration,'  and  what  is  this  regeneration  ?  It  is 
not  to  be  christened  in  water,  as  these  firebrands  expound  it, 
and  nothing  else.  How  is  it  to  be  expounded  then  ?  St.  Peter 
showeth,  that  one  part  of  scripture  declare th  another.  It  is 
the  circumstance  and  collation  of  places  that  make  scripture 
plain.  Saith  St.  Peter,  'we  be  born  again.'  How?  Not  by 
a  mortal  seed,  but  by  an  immortal.  What  is  this  immortal 
seed?  'By  the  word  of  the  living  God' — by  the  word  of 
God  preached  and  explained.  Thus  cometh  our  new  birth* 
Here  you  may  see  how  necessary  this  office  is  to  our  salva- 
tion. This  is  the  thing  that  the  Devil  wrestleth  most  against. 
It  hath  been  all  his  study  to  decay  this  office.  He  worketh 
against  it  as  much  as  he  can.  He  hath  prevailed  too  much, 
too  much  in  it."  "It  were  too  long  to  declare  unto  you, 
what  deceit  and  means  the  Devil  hath  found  to  decay  the  of- 
fice of  salvation — this  office  of  regeneration."  Latimer's 
Sermons,  p.  202,  Parker  edition. 

Bishop  Coverdale. 

This  is  the  fruit  and  the  end  which  followeth  out  of  the 
preaching  of  the  word  of  God;  that  they  whose  hearts  God 
toucheth  are  so  sorry  for  their  sins  that  it  even  pierceth  them. 


142 

For  God's  word  is  even  a  sharp  two-edged  sword,  and  en- 
tereth  through  to  the  depth.  Blessed  are  all  they  which  so 
Tead  and  hear  the  word  of  God,  that  they  begin  to  be 
ashamed  of  their  sins  and  wickedness,  being  repentant  and 
sorry  therefor.  A  blessed  and  wholesome  sorrow  is  that 
which  riseth  and  groweth  out  of  the  truth — which  is  opened 
unto  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost—which  Spirit,  in  the 
heart,  giveth  hope  upon  the  mercy  of  God,  and  driveth  away 
all  despair.  Then  beginneth  a  man  to  ask,  what  shall  I  do? 
Then  inquireth  he  after  the  will  of  God ;  and  such  a  man, 
that  so  asketh  is  easy  to  be  helped.  Soon  is  he  healed,  that, 
knowing  his  disease,  would  fain  be  made  whole."  As  to 
the  sacraments,  he  says :  "  Here  also  we  may  learn  how 
faithful  believers  use  themselves  in  the  outward  sacraments. 
They  that  being  moved  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
in  their  hearts  do  hear  the  eternal  word  preached,  giving 
credit  unto  it,  and  gladly  receiving  it,  then  do  not  afterward 
despise  the  outward  sacraments,  which  God  hath  instituted 
for  the  welfare  of  his  Church,  but  use  the  same  with  all  obe- 
dience, good  will,  and  reverence."  "They  know  also  that 
sacraments  are  evidences  of  the  promise  and  grace  of  God^ 
which  they,  after  a  visible  and  palpable  manner,  do  set  forth 
and  represent  unto  us.  These  tokens  of  grace  doth  no  man 
use  more  devoutly,  and  with  more  reverence,  than  he  that  in 
himself  is  certified  and  assured  of  the  gracious  favor  of  God; 
as  we  see  in  Cornelius,  in  Paul,  and  Queen  Candace's 
chamberlain." 

It  is  evident  that,  instead  of  making  the  grace  of  the  sacra- 
ments go  before  the  renewing  of  the  mind  by  the  Spirit, 
through  the  word,  that  he  considers  the  sacraments  as  only 
rightly  used  after  this.  Though  baptism  be  administered  to 
infants,  it  is  on  the  promise  of  faith  and  repentance,  and  it  is 
not  until  they  have  those,  that  they  use  the  baptism  profitably. 

Bishop  Reynolds. 

Coming  down  to  a  later  date,  we  find  Bishop  Reynolds 
using  the  word  regenerate  in  the  higher  sense.  "  The  un- 
sregenerate  are  of  several  rates  and  stamps.  Some  are  appa- 
rently, and  in  the  sight  of  men,  outrageous  sinners,  upon 


'     143 

whom  every  man  that  sees  them  may,  without  breach  of 
charity,  pass  this  sentence — There  goes  a  man  who  declares 
himself  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  to  be  a  servant  of  siru 
Others  there  are  of  a  more  civil,  composed  course — men 
much  wiser,  but  not  a  dram  holier,  than  those  before.  In 
those  men  there  appeareth  not  so  sovereign  and  absolute 
a  dominion  of  sin  as  hath  been  spoken  of,  inasmuch  as  they 
seem  to  live  in  a  fair  external  conformity  to  the  truths  which 
they  had  learned.  These  more  moderate  sort  of  unregene- 
rate  men  seem  to  shift  off  from  themselves  the  charge  of  be- 
ing subject  to  the  reign  of  sin,  inasmuch  as  the)  abhor  many 
sins,  and  do  many  things  which  the  rule  requires."  The- 
above  is  taken  from  Mr.  Faber's  work  on  regeneration. 

Opinion  of  Bishop  Hopkins,  one  oj  the  Irish  Bishops,  in 
which  regeneration  is  used  in  the  same  sense. 

Very  difficult  it  is  to  persuade  men  against  the  prejudices 
of  their  corrupt  hearts.  This  great  change,  they  say,  is 
more  than  need.  Regeneration  begins  now  to  be  decried 
by  as  great  masters  in  Israel  as  ever  Nicodemus  was.  Many 
understand  not  to  what  end  the  fabric  of  corrupt  nature 
should  be  demolished,  and  men,  as  it  were,  turned  out  of 
themselves.  They  think  if  they  are  but  baptized,  whereby, 
as  they  suppose,  the  guilt  of  original  sin  is  washed  awayr 
that  a  sober  religious  life,  keeping  from  gross  actual  sins,  is 
sufficient  for  the  obtaining  of  Heaven,  without  those  hard 
and  inexplicable  notions  of  regeneration.  I  shall  therefore 
endeavor  to  convince  you  of  the  indispensable  necessity  that 
there  is  of  being  born  again ;  that  when  you  are  persuad- 
ed of  it,  you  may  give  no  rest  unto  yourselves,  nor  unto 
God,  till  he  cause  his  Spirit,  which  is  that  Spirit  which  blow- 
eth  where  it  listeth,  to  breathe  spiritual  life  into  you,  with- 
out whuh  it  is  impossible  that  you  should  inherit  eternai 
life." 

"  The  seminal  virtue,  or  means  by  which  this  new  birth 
is  effected,  is  the  word  of  God.  So  you  have  it  expressly- 
in  St.  James  :  «  Of  his  own  will  begot  he  us  by  the  word  of 
truth.'  The  preaching  of  the  word  is  the  great  means 
which  God  hath  appointed  for  regeneration.     Rom.  x,  17> 


144     • 

*  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God/ 
When  God  first  created  man,  it  is  said  he  breathed  into  his 
nostrils  the  breath  of  life.  But  when  God  now  creates  man,, 
he  breathes  into  his  ears.  This  is  that  word  that  raiseth 
the  dead,  calleth  them  out  of  the  grave,  opens  the  eyes  of 
the  blind,  turns  the  hearts  of  the  disobedient  and  rebellious. 
Such  an  energy  is  there  in  the  word  of  God,  when  the 
Spirit  of  God  clothes  it  with  power,  that  it  breaks  in  upon 
the  conscience,  ruinates  and  demolishes  the  power  of  sinful 
nature,  and  in  an  instant  conveys  spiritual  light  and  warmth 
and  quickening  into  the  soul." — Faber's  sermons  on  regene- 
ration. 

Bishop  Wilkins, 

This  prelate  advises  us  to  pray  earnestly  to  God  "  that 
he  would  give  us  a  new  heart,  and  put  a  new  spirit  within 
us,  that  thus  we  may  be  regenerate,  and  become  new  crea- 
tures, being  born  again  of  that  incorruptible  seed,  the  word 
of  God." — See  the  same. 

Dr.  Isaac  Barrow. 

We  are  naturally  void  of  those  good  dispositions  in  under- 
standing, will,  and  affections,  which  are"  needful  to  render  us 
acceptable  to  God,  fit  to  serve  and  please  him,  capable  of 
any  favor  from  him,  and  of  any  true  happiness  in  ourselves . 
To  remove  which  bad  dispositions,  and  to  beget  those  con- 
trary to  them,  God  in  mercy  doth  grant  to  us  the  virtue  of 
his  Holy  Spirit ;  who,  first  opening  our  hearts,  begetteth  di- 
vine knowledge,  wisdom,  and  faith  in  our  minds,  which  is 
the  work  of  illumination  and  instruction.  Then,  by  con- 
tinual impressions,  he  bendeth  our  inclinations,  and  molli- 
fieth  our  hearts,  and  tempereth  our  affections  to  a  willing 
compliance  with  God's  will,  and  a  hearty  complacence  in 
that  which  is  good  and  pleasing  unto  God — which  is  the 
work  of  sanctification,  another  great  part  of  his  office.  Both 
these  operations  together  enlightening  our  minds,  and  sanc- 
tifying our  wills  and  affections,  do  constitute  and  accomplish 
that  work  which  is  styled  the  regeneration,  renovation, 
•vivification,  new  creation,  resurrection  of  a  man — the 
faculties  of  our  souls  being  so  improved,  that  we  become  as 


145 

it  were  other  men  thereby,  able  and  apt  to  do  that  for  whick 
before  we  were  altogether  indisposed  and  unfit." — The  same. 
Mr.  Faber  quotes  many  other  writers,  such  as  Tillotson, 
Horsely,  Barrington,  &c,  showing  that  they  understood  and 
used  the  terms  regenerate  and  unregenerate  in  the  same 
sense  as  those  quoted  above. 

Sentiments  of  Bishop  Moore,  of  Virginia,  on  the  subject* 

Within  the  last  few  years,  since  this  doctrine  of  baptismal 
regeneration  has  been  brought  into  discussion,  and  different 
views  of  it  have  been  set  forth  than  those  hitherto  held,  Bishop 
Moore  has  been  quoted  in  their  support.  The  author  of  this 
tract  feels  bound,  in  duty  to  his  beloved  predecessor  in  office, 
as  well  as  to  the  cause  of  truth,  to  present  this  matter  in  its 
just  light  before  the  public,  and  especially  before  the  Church 
in  Virginia.  It  is  true  that  there  are  expressions  in  one  of 
his  sermons,  and  in  a  letter,  which  give  countenance  to  an 
higher  view  of  the  subject  than  that  here  affirmed  to  be  the 
general  sentiment  of  the  Church,  though  not  to  the  extrava- 
gances of  the  tractarian  school. 

Bishop  Moore  opened  the  general  convention  of  182© 
with  a  sermon,  in  which  he  used  some  expressions  which 
have  been  frequently  adduced  in  behalf  of  the  high  view  now 
taken  by  some.  Being  myself  present  at  that  convention,  I 
say,  without  fear  of  contradiction,  appealing  to  others  for  the 
accuracy  of  the  statement,  that  they  were  generally  disap- 
proved of,  not  only  by  those  who  sympathized  most  with  him 
in  their  general  views  of  religion,  but  by  those  to  whom  he 
had  ever  been  opposed.  The  latter  said  that  he  went  beyond 
them  in  his  doctrine  of  baptismal  regeneration.  A  circum- 
stance most  decisive  on  this  subject  can  be  adduced  if  neces- 
sary. But,  after  all,  nothing  more  can  be  made  of  his  ex- 
pressions than  that  a  principle  of  grace  was  imparted  in  bap- 
tism, and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  connected  with  baptism. 
He  does  not  affirm  that  actual  moral  change  which  super- 
sedes  any  other,  for  in  that  very  sermon  he  says,  »*  when  the 
Church,  in  her  solemn  service,  speaks  of  baptismal  regener- 
ation, she  doe*  not  deny  the  necessity  of  conversion  in  an 
adult  sinner.  Conversion  forms  a  distinct  principle,  and 
13 


146 

whoever  violates  the  law  of  God  must  experience  its  trans- 
forming power,  or  perish  in  his  sin  ;  for,  except  we  be  con- 
verted, and  become  as  little  children,  we  cannot  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God."  And  that  he  held  that  all  men  do 
violate  the  law  of  God,  so  as  to  need  this  conversion  of  heart, 
will  soon  be  seen.  We  might  appeal  to  all  the  clergy,  and 
all  the  people  of  Virginia,  to  whom  he  preached  for  more 
than  thirty  years,  whether  he  was  ever  heard  to  base  his 
addresses  to  them  on  the  ground  of  baptismal  purity,  which 
they  had  only  to  preserve,  or,  should  they  have  lost  it,  seek 
to  regain  so  far  as  they  had  lost  it.  We  appeal  to  all  those 
on  whom  he  laid  his  hands  in  confirmation,  and  to  those 
who  witnessed  this  act,  whether,  in  his  affectionate  and  touch- 
ing appeals  to  them,  on  such  occasions,  he  ever  reminded 
them  of  that  supposed  moral  change,  ever  hinted  at  the 
thought  of  one  of  them  not  needing  any  thing  different  from 
what  was  bestowed  on  them  in  baptism.  His  appeal  ever 
was  to  the  vows  then  made,  and  the  prayers  and  anxieties 
of  the  parents.  But  we  do  not  mean  to  rely  on  the  recol- 
lection of  the  whole  diocess  of  Virginia.  Seventeen  of  the 
sermons  preached  in  Virginia  are  published  with  his  me- 
moirs, and  let  them  speak  and  declare  how  he  regarded  the 
baptized.  I  am  confident  that  the  advocates  for  baptismal 
regeneration,  as  now  set  forth  by  some  in  our  Church,  will 
not  call  for  aid  from  those  sermons. 

A  few  out  of  the  many  passages  which  might  be  adduced 
will  suffice.  In  sermon  3d,  page  374,  he  says  "  the  conver- 
sion of  a  soul  to  God  is  its  resurrection  from  death  to  life.  It 
then  begins  to  live,  when  it  begins  to  live  to  God,  to  breathe 
after  Heaven  and  holiness,  to  move  towards  the  Almighty, 
and  to  make  preparation  for  that  eternity  towards  which  we 
are  rapidly  hastening." 

Sermon  9th,  page  411.  ••  It  is  thought  by  the  world  that  to 
speak  of  the  conviction  of  sin  is  an  evidence  of  mental  weak- 
ness, a  principle  unknown  to  any  but  to  poor  and  illiterate." 
"  Jehovah,  remember,  has  but  one  mode  of  procedure  with 
mankind.  The  law  of  repentance  is  equally  binding  upon 
all  ;  the  rich  and  the  poor  must,  in  this  particular,  meet  to- 
gether; for  unless  we  repent  we  must  all  likewise  perish." 

Sermon  10th,  page  426.  "  The  terms  of  the  covenant  of 
grace  consist  in  repentance  towards  God  and  faith  in  our 


147 

Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  moment  in  which  the  penitent 
complies  with  those  principles,  that  instant  his  request  will 
be  granted,  and  he  will  stand  justified  and  acquitted  before 
God.  Study  the  sacred  volume,  and  you  will  find  the  Sa- 
vior was  called  the  Savior  of  sinners.  '  I  come  not,  said  he, 
to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners,  to  repentance.' 

Sermon  12th,  page  447.  "  When,  by  conversion  of  heart, 
he  becomes  a  new  creature,  and  is  made  an  heir  of  God, 
and  joint  heir  with  Christ;  when,  from  that  change,  he  dis- 
covers in  his  life  and  conversation,  he  can  say  that  his  soul 
is  escaped  as  a  bird  out  of  the  snare  of  the  fowler ;  when  he 
becomes  a  partaker  of  that  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all 
understanding,  what  supreme  cause  has  he  for  pious  exul- 
tation." 

Sermon  14th,  pp.  468-'9.  "When  he  discovers  by  the 
word  of  God  that  has  drawn  his  likeness,  '  that  he  is  poor 
and  miserable,  and  blind  and  naked ;'  when  he  finds  that, 
from  the  crown  of  his  head  to  the  soles  of  his  feet  there  is 
no  soundness  in  him,  and  that  he  is  covered  with  wounds, 
and  bruises,  and  putrifying  sores,  he  stands  amazed.  Can  it 
be  possible,  he  cries  out,  in  an  agony  of  grief,  that  my  situ- 
ation is  so  awfully  alarming,  and  that  I  have  remained  so 
long  insensible  of  it?  '  Oh,  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death.'  He  flies  for 
refuge,  perhaps,  under  his  first  alarms,  to  the  law  of  God, 
and  perceives  that  the  law,  to  which  he  has  flown  for  secu- 
rity, proclaims,  in  a  voice  louder  than  the  seven  thunders  of 
Asia,  the  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  die." 

I  ask,  do  such  passages  as  these  accord  with  the  preaching 
now  recommended  by  the  advocates  of  baptismal  regenera- 
tion, as  understood  by  them? 

I  feel  it  my  duty  to  add,  in  relation  to  the  views  of  Bishop 
Moore,  that,  when  the  doctrines  of  the  Oxford  school  con- 
cerning baptismal  justification  were  preached,  he  was  the 
very  first  to  sound  the  alarm  and  warn  his  clergy  and  people 
against  them.  And  I  will  add,  further,  that  when  I  read  to 
him  some  of  their  statements  about  the  change  of  nature  ef- 
fected in  the  infant,  he  emphatically  said,  that  he  held  no 
such  views ;  that  he  went  no  further  than  Bishop  Hobart, 
whose  sentiments  have  been  already  set  forth. 


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